Bhubaneswar, May 16: Yesterday, the SC’s Mandate Oversight Committtee gave a green signal to Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College in Baripada to begin admissions. Health Minister Pratap Jena stated that admissions for 100 MBBS undergraduate seats for the 2017-18 academic sessions can now begin. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik also welcomed the decision to grant permission for admissions.
Patnaik tweeted, ‘Welcome the grant of Permission by Supreme Court’s Oversight Committee to Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital, Baripada, The college though ready was not being inspected by MCI. Happy that now we can bring advanced health care to the people of Mayurbhanj.’
Due the delay in issuing the Letter of Permission to start the academic session, the tussle between Odisha and Medical Council of India (MCI) worsened day by day. the Health and Family Welfare Department blamed the MCI for not taking proper efforts in issuing the Letter of Permission (LOP) for the taking up of 100 undergraduate from 2017-18 academic sessions. In its argument, the former also stated that Mayurbhanj district under which the Baripada medical college falls has got 58.7 percent of tribal population and hence a medical college is highly essential there for overall health and sociology-economic development of the tribal that also includes tribe from neighbouring states of West Bengal and Jharkhand. The Secretary of the Supreme Court Mandate Oversight committee, Shesh Kumar and the Odisha Health Secretary, P.K. Meherda had clarified that earlier Odisha had requested for the LoP for two medical colleges, Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College, Baripada and Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital, Koraput in June 2016, under the Central Sponsored Scheme (CSS). Following this, before permitting, the MCI team had noted the infrastructure, construction works and other facilities at both the medical colleges in December 2016. Though MCI team visited Koraput, the scheduled visit for inspection of infrastructure at Baripada Medical was not taken up. Post this, the Odisha Government stated that all the prescribed guidelines by the MCI have been followed and a report has been submitted to the Center. The Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, during his meet with Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, had also requested for the issue of the letter of permission (LOP). On Apr 27, the State Government had sent another reminder for the LoP. Senior officials had also taken up the matter with Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda at a high level meeting held at New Delhi on May 11 in presence of Union Minister Dharemendra Pradhan. In a letter to Secretary, Supreme Court Mandate Oversight committee, Shesh Kumar, Odisha Health Secretary P.K. Meherda had sought intervention of the panel for appropriate measures against the injustice done by MCI. Upon the approval, health minister Pratap Jena expressed pleasure over the permission of apex court panel.
