NTPC to set up medical college at Sundargarh

BHUBANESWAR: Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Saturday announced establishment of a medical college in Sundargarh district and promised allocation of 50 per cent electricity from the two proposed ultra mega power projects.  “The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) will set up a medical college and hospital with 400-bed capacity at Sundargarh,” Shinde told reporters after meeting Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here. The proposed medical will extend quality health services to the tribals of Sundargarh district, he said adding, the intake  capacity of the medical college will be increased to 500 in ensuing period. Work for the medical college will begin shortly, he added. Two Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), one each at Angul and Sundargarh, would be established for imparting vocational training to local youths. They will meet the skilled manpower requirement of the State which is going to be a power hub of the country. The Union Minister told the Chief Minister that it would not be possible on the part of the Centre to allocate additional 700 MW of electricity from NTPC’s super thermal power project at Kaniha. “Since the Centre has signed power purchase agreement (PPA) with other states, it will not be possible to allocate additional 700 MW for Odisha,” he said adding that the State would receive 2,000 MW power each from the two proposed UMPPs at Bedababahal and Darlipali. Describing his discussion with the Chief Minister as “very good”, Shinde said that the dispute over the price fixation for the proposed Super Thermal Power Station at Gajamara in Dhenkanal district had been solved. “Both of us had agreed that the issue will now be solved at the regulatory commission,” he said. The Union Minister said that Rs  60,000 crore would be invested in the power sector in the State in the near future. Faced with acute power shortage, the State Government has been demanding its share from the NTPC-Kanhia which it had surrendered earlier. Apart from two UMPPs, NTPC is also setting up a 3,200-MW power plant at Gajamara.