Keonjhar (Odisha): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced setting up of a medical college in the mineral rich Keonjhar district at an investment of Rs 500 crore.
 
Patnaik made this announcement at a public meeting here. The proposed medical college at Keonjhar would be totally developed by the state government and would be the state's fourth government run medical college, he said.
 
Earlier, the state had set up three medical colleges and hospitals at Cuttack, Berhampur and Burla in Sambalpur district.
 
"The proposed medical college at Keonjhar will be helpful for the people, particularly the tribal inhabitants of the district," Patnaik said adding the mineral rich Keonjhar district has made a significant contribution towards the growth of Odisha.
 
The Chief Minister's announcement has fulfilled the long standing demand of the people of Keonjhar district, said state health minister Atanu Nayak, who along with panchayati raj minister Arun Kumar Sahoo, attended the public meeting.  

During his day long tour to Keonjhar, Patnaik also distributed bonus to construction workers and Kendu leaf pluckers. The state government had earmarked Rs 500 crore for construction of 5,000 pucca houses for construction workers.
 
The Chief Minister also inaugurated the scheme for construction of pucca houses for the people hit by mining activities in Keonjhar district and distributed work orders for construction of 13,500 such houses.
 
This apart, Patnaik also inaugurated or laid foundation stones for different projects worth Rs 496 crore.