Odisha Cong. MLAs remind PM of hospital promise

Seek appointment to hand over a cheque for upgrade of Rourkela medical facility

The Congress Legislature Party in Odisha has sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hand over a cheque for ₹20 lakh for upgrading the Ispat General Hospital, Rourkela, into a medical college and super speciality hospital.

Taking a dig at the Prime Minister over his ‘unfulfilled’ promise on IGH, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had earlier announced that funds for the project would be mobilised though crowdfunding.

The State CLP now appears to be taking the campaign forward.

Letter to Modi

“I write to remind you about a promise made on April 1, 2015, at Rourkela for a super specialty hospital. We are thankful to you for your proposal to extend healthcare facility to the tribal-dominated areas. However, regretfully we do not see any progress on your promise even though three years have passed and your term is nearing an end,” noted Narasingh Mishra, Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, in a letter.

Mr. Mishra said: “Odisha desperately needs attention to quality education and healthcare facilities. Being a poor State, it relies a lot on central funding and such a promise coming from a high office like yours had raised Odia people’s hopes. In this regards, the legislature party would like to meet you on behalf of the people to present you a cheque of funds raised by our party in support of the project and also to submit a memorandum.”

Taking exception to the BJP’s defence that ₹200 crore had been sanctioned for the project, Mr. Mishra tweeted: “If the Central government has provided funds for the Rourkela hospital as claimed by them, they should inform when and under which head they have given the stated ₹200 crore.”

Earlier, Muktikanta Biswal, a youth from Rourkela, had hogged headlines by undertaking a 1,350-km-long walk to meet Mr. Modi and remind him about his ‘unfulfilled’ promise. The Delhi police recently picked him up while staging a hunger strike near Jantar Mantar.

“The police action on Muktikanta Biswal was uncalled for. The PM should have shown some grace and met the young man rather than using force to stifle his voice,” said Mr. Mishra.