Union Minister Says No To ESIC Medical College in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Santosh Gangwar today rejected the proposal of the Odisha government for establishment of an Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Medical College in Bhubaneswar.

Addressing the Regional Conference of State Labour Ministers and Principal Secretaries of Eastern States here, Gangwar said that the Supreme Court has restricted the labour department from setting up hospital. “The Apex court told us that our department is meant for looking after the welfare of labourers, not to set up medical colleges,” the minister told media.

On demands of setting up of hospitals in Paradip, Jeypore, Balasore and Berhampur, the union minister said that the demands would be taken into consideration if the state fulfils the criteria.

Notably, Odisha Labour & Employment Minister Susanta Singh had told the assembly last year that an ESI medical college and hospital would be set up in the capital city.

"The ESIC on October 7, 2008 had decided to construct a medical college in every state. The state government had provided 25 acre to the ESIC for the project on outskirts of the city," Singh had stated in response to a query by MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain in Assembly.