ESIC to upgrade its healthcare facilities in Odisha

NOTE: When Pushpendra Singh Deo babu was Labour minister we had asked him to take the issue for a ESIC medical/dental/nursing college in Kalahandi, it did not work out when he wrote to union minister for a ESIC nursing college, as there were not sufficient no. of ESIC members in Kalahandi then. However, this initiative some how helped to consider for a ESIC health facility in Lanjigarh. Thanks to him.

Business Line, Nov 19, 2013

BHUBANESWAR, NOV 19:  

Employees’ state Insurance Corporation of India (ESIC) will invest about Rs 1,100 crore in upgradation of certain hospitals and establishment of a new medical college in Odisha.

“We have taken up different projects in Odisha for upgradation of hospitals and setting up a medical college,” Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment K Suresh said here today.

Stating that Odisha have above 13 lakh ESI beneficiaries, Suresh said the foundation stone of the proposed medical college will be laid here in January 2014 and target is to start the college in 2017 academic year.

“About Rs 800 crore will be spent in the medical college project which will have a 500-beded super speciality hospital as per the guidelines of the medical council of India,” Suresh said adding that the medical college will have proper operation theatre, OPD and other facilities.

ESIC has already acquired 25 acre of land for the proposed medical college in the state capital and completed boundary wall and other preliminary works by spending about Rs 4.6 crore, the minister said.

The Minister, however admitted that the medical college project was delayed due to dispute over selection of the venue for the proposed medical college. Though it was initially planned to set up the medical college at Rourkela, later it had decided to change the venue to the state capital.

However, the minister said the ESIC has decided to upgrade its 50-beded existing hospital at Rourkela to a high-tech hospital with 100 beds. “We have planned to invest Rs 100 crore for upgradation of the hospital at Rourkela,” he said.

The minister said the ESIC has also decided to upgrade its hospital at Bhubaneswar with an investment of Rs 66 crore.

“The ESIC will take over the hospital at Bhubaneswar. Earlier, though the ESIC was spending on infrastructure, the state used to run it,” he pointed out.

This apart, the minister said the ESIC has identified Joda in Keonjhar district, Khuntuni in Cuttack district and Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district to setup health facilities.

“The state government need to give proposal for setting up hospitals in three new places,” he said.

ESIC which already have a regional office in the state capital, has also decided to open a sub-regional office at Rourkela which will cater service to western Odisha distracts.

Replying a question, Suresh said the enforcement officers were regularly keeping tab on the companies which allegedly do not contribute their share in the fund.