UPA Government Decided Medical Colleges for State

Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Srikant Jena demanded that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik present a report card with detailed information about establishment of medical colleges in the State so that people can know who should take credit for the colleges. Jena too dared BJP and BJD leaders to have open debate with Congress as to during which Government decisions were taken and agreements made for establishment of medical colleges in Odisha and other States. “The BJP and the BJD are competing to take credit for establishment of medical colleges. But in reality, the UPA Government had initiated all processes and signed agreements with State Governments in 2013-14,” said Jena.

Jena said the UPA Government had amended Medical Council of India (MCI) norms for allowing State Governments and civic bodies to establish medical colleges. As such, the State Government had in 2013-14 decided to establish 58 medical colleges, including five in Odisha, with funds share ratio of the Union and State Government at 75:25. “The NDA Government has done anything in health sector during the last four years. The BJD Government has failed to provide healthcare services to people during the last 18 years. But they are spending crores of rupees for taking credit for the projects initiated by the UPA Government,” said Jena.

He lamented that the ESI Hospital proposed at Bhubaneswar and for which land had been acquired and boundary wall constructed has been stopped by the present Narendra Modi Government. Similarly, the proposed MCL and NTPC Medical colleges at Talcher and Sundargarh have been delayed, he rued. He criticized the State Government saying that hospitals across the State are lacking doctors and ICUs and trauma care centers are not working properly. – Daily Pioneer