New Delhi: The Centre has released a total amount of Rs 817 crore to Odisha Government for establishment of seven new medical colleges in the State.
Union Minister of State, Health and Family Welfare, Bharati Pravin Pawar told this in Rajya Sabha while replying to a question of MP Sasmit Patra on Tuesday.
Pawar said the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare administers a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for ‘Establishment of new Medical Colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals’ under which seven medical colleges have been approved in Odisha with fund sharing between Centre and State Government as 60:40.
Under the CSS, the Centre has approved establishment of new medical colleges at Balasore, (Mayurbhanj), Bolangir, Koraput, Puri, Jajpur and Bhawanipatna (Kalahandi) districts.
The total approved cost is Rs 1520 crore, of which State’s share is Rs 608 crore and Centre’s share is Rs 912 crore.
Out of the Central scare of Rs 912 crore, the Health Ministry has, so far, released Rs 817 crore. The Ministry will provide Rs 95 crore for the new medical college at Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district.
The approved amount for all other six medical colleges have been released by the Union Government, informed the Minister.
An amount of Rs 189 crore has been approved for each of the medical colleges at Balasore, (Mayurbhanj), Bolangir, Koraput and Puri, while Rs 250 crore has been approved for the medical college at Jajpur and Rs 325 crore for the medical college in Kalahandi district.
Further, under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes for increase of MBBS seats and PG seats in existing medical colleges, an amount nearly Rs 258 crore has been approved for five medical colleges in Odisha.
An amount of Rs 120 crore has been approved for each of the VSS Medical College, Burla and MKCG Medical College, Behrampur. The Centre has already released its share Rs 72 crore for each of the two institutions.
For increase of PG seats, Rs 5.40 crore, Rs 8 crore and Rs 6.30 crore has been approved for VSS Medical College, Burla, MKCG Medical College, Behrampur and SCB Medical College, Cuttack, respectively. The Union Government has released its share of Rs 3.59 crore, Rs 5.76 crore and Rs 4.38 crore for the three old medical colleges at Burla, Berhampur and Cuttack.
Further release of funds will be based on the pace of expenditure and receipt of demand from the State Government, added Pawar.