WODC to set up 3 medical colleges in Orissa

Bhubaneswar, Nov 21: The Western Orissa Development Council (WODC) has decided to set up three medical colleges at Kalahandi, Bolangir and Rourkela.

Stating this at the State Assembly here yesterday, Steel, Mines, Planning and Coordination minister Padmanav Behera said the colleges would be set up under private sector in these areas which fall under WODC's jurisdiction.

Replying to a question, the Minister said out of the three places, the construction work of the medical college at Jaring of Kalahandi district was going on by the Selvam Educational and Charitable Trust, Bhadakangulam of Tamilnadu.

The organisation had approached the medical council for admitting students for its first batch in 2008-09.

A high level committee had been constituted to select the private entrepreneurs for the setting up of the medical colleges.

Mr Behera said as per the recommendations of the committee, an MoU was signed with the GSL Trust, Rajmahendri in December 2003 for the setting up of a medical college at Bolangir.

However, the MoU was cancelled in December 2004 after the organisation failed to start construction work, he said.

Similarly, the MoU signed with the Jasar Dental Medical Education Health Foundation, Modinagar of Uttar Pradesh in 2005 was also cancelled, when it did not begin work for the medical college at Bolangir.

The Minister further said another MoU was signed in October last year with the Balaji Education and Charitable Public Trust, Pondicherry for establishing the medical college at Bolangir.

The government had also provided land to the organisation for the purpose. A notice had been issued to the organisation to cancel the MoU if it did not start work at the earliest, the minister said.

UNI