What was the real issue behind rejection of Balangir for the proposed ESIC medical college: air –connectivity or ESI members?

Earlier some media and many people argued that Balangir was rejected for the proposed ESIC medical college due to lack of number of ESI members in the region, whereas today Tathya reports that the reason was air-connectivity. We keep demanding Rourkela for ESIC medical college, but why a backward region like Balangir was rejected still a mistry.

Road ends for ESIC RKL?
Tathya.in, Rourkela:3/October/2009

Will all the initiatives end up as a futile exercise?

For more than a month, educationists, educated youth, chartered accountants, labor union leaders and even house wives raised the issue of setting up of the ESIC Medical College & Hospital at Rourkela.

Till date endless meetings and sending missives to the high ups are continuing.

Hundreds of e-mail reached Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) urging him to impress upon the Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).

Prime Minister and Union Minister for Labor were flooded with e-mail and memorandums.

Net result is that- it seems no body in the government bothered about the hue and cry raised by the people from various section of society to set up a medical college and hospital by ESIC at Rourkela.

“If there is any place fit for an ESIC Medical College & Hospital, it is Rourkela”, said a top mandarin in the Government of Orissa.

Then how come the Government is silent over the demand and has allowed ESIC to set up Medical College & Hospital at Bhubaneswar?

“You better ask the Chief Minister”, said he under the condition of anonymity.

Now as the ESIC has been allotted land near the outskirts of Capital city, chances of ESIC Rourkela seems remote, admits the official.

Interestingly, when the people of Rourkela joined the bandwagon for demanding the Medical College & Hospital in the steel city, the lawmaker from the place and Minister Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Welfare remained his lip sealed.

Similarly, Minister Labor & Employment, who hails from Western Orissa quietly, favored the ESIC Medical College to come up in the Capital city.

Now ESIC will spend Rs.600 crore in the Medical College & Hospital, a Dental College and another Nursing college in the same campus, said sources.

Officials point out that as there is lack of air port near Rourkela, Centre will not agree for setting up a medical college.

Earlier the State Government proposed the ESIC Medical College at Balangir, which Centre rejected on grounds of air –connectivity.

So the Government of Orissa is in no mood approach further on this count, said sources.

Then how come Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) agreed to set up Central University of Orissa at Koraput?

There are no facilities of airport in and around Koraput, said an activist.

“It is the mind set of the present government to go on capital centric approach to set up educational institutions”, alleged she.

ESIC Medical College at Rourkela yet a non-starter
The Pioneer, Oct 5, 2009
PNS | Bhubaneswar

Will all the initiatives end up as a futile exercise? For more than a month, educationists, educated youth, chartered accountants, trade union leaders and even housewives have been raising the issue of setting up of the proposed ESIC Medical College & Hospital at Rourkela. Endless meetings and sending missives to the high-ups are continuing.

Hundreds of e-mails reached the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) urging him to impress upon the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) for establishment of the college and hospital in the steel city. The Prime Minister and the Union Minister for Labour were flooded with mails and memorandums. Bur it seems nobody in the Government is bothered about the hue and cry raised by the people from various sections of the society.

“If there is any place fit for an ESIC Medical College & Hospital, it is Rourkela,” said a top Orissa Government official. Then how come the Government is silent over the demand and has allowed the ESIC to set up the college and hospital in Bhubaneswar? “You better ask the Chief Minister,” said the officer on the condition of anonymity. Now, as the ESIC has been allotted land on the outskirts of the capital city, chances of Rourkela seem remote, admitted the official.

Interestingly, when the people of Rourkela joined the bandwagon for demanding the medical college and hospital in the steel city, local MLA Sarada Prasad Nayak, who is the Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Welfare remained silent. Similarly, Minister for Labour and Employment Puspendra Singh Deo, who also hails from Western Orissa, quietly favoured the college to come up in Bhubaneswar.

The ESIC will spend Rs 600 crore for the medical college and hospital, a dental college and a nursing college in the same campus, said sources. Officials point out that as there is no full-fledged airport near Rourkela, the Centre will not agree to setting up of a medical college there.

Earlier, the State Government had proposed the ESIC Medical College at Balangir, which the Centre rejected on the same ground of lack of air connectivity. So, the State Government is in no mood to further approach the Centre on this count, said the sources.

Then how has the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development agreed to set up the Central University of Orissa at Koraput? There is no airport in and around Koraput, pointed out an activist. “It is the mindset of the State Government to favour a capital city-centric approach to set up educational institutions,” activist alleged.