Vedanta pledges Rs 100 cr for medical college infra in Odisha’s Kalahandi

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Aug 30: 

Odisha Government today announced to set up a medical college in Kalahandi district in partnership with mining major Vedanta group.

“I am happy to announce that the government will set up a medical college in Kalahandi to provide access to health facility to the people of Kalahandi. This will be a government medical college and the infrastructure will be provided by the Vedanta group,” said Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announcing the project today.

“We will set up a graduate school and a medical college. The medical college is a necessity there. Patients from these places travel to far off locations for treatment. We have committed to facilitate the infrastructure, which might cost up to Rs 100 crore. The government will run it,” said Vedanta Resources Chairman Anil Agarwal who was in the state to meet Patnaik today.

The Vedanta group chief further discussed supply of bauxite to Vedanta’s Lanjigarh plant. According to reports, the State Government is likely to supply bauxite to the plant through Odisha Mining Corporation Ltd (OMC).

They further discussed the Jharsuguda aluminium park as well. The Chief Minister has assured Agarwal that the issues raised by the group will be addressed by March 2017.

“Over the years, a lot of liberalization has happened. Both State and Central Governments have started the auction process. We have waited 12-13 years. Waiting another year or two doesn’t make much of a difference. The Lanjigarh plant is of 6 Million Tonne capacity; however, we are producing only 2 Million Tonnes now. The production will increase with availability of bauxite,” Agarwal said after meeting the Chief Minister at the Secretariat.