Odisha inks MoU with Vedanta to set up medical college

Bhubaneswar/Bhawanipatna: Odisha government on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Vedanta Foundation for establishment of a medical college and hospital in Bhawanipatna of Kalahandi district.

The MoU was signed in presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and state Health and Family Welfare Minister Pratap Jena.

Speaking on the occasion, Patnaik said that his government is committed to provide improved healthcare services to the people of Odisha and the people of Kalahandi district will be immensely benefitted from the medical college.

Briefing the media later, Jena said the medical college will be set up at an initial investment of Rs 350 crore and the construction of the same will be completed in 2 years.

The medical college will have 500 beds with specialist doctors and admission of a total of 100 students will be done initially, he added.

Earlier today, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed Odisha government's decision to sign MoU with Vedanta Foundation for the medical college.

"How did the CM laid the foundation stone of the medical college without singing a MoU. Why has the BJD decided to sign the MoU now?" questioned Odisha BJP vice president Sameer Mohanty.

Criticising the State government, Mohanty said that the ruling party has not learnt any lessons from the Sardar Rajas Medical College episode.

Ruling BJD signed the MoU now to divert the attention of people from real issues, he added.