Bhubaneswar: The union minister of state for labour and employment, Santosh Gangwar, Tuesday said that establishment of a medical college by the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) in Bhubaneswar is not possible.
Gangwar, while addressing the regional conference of State labour ministers and principal secretaries, here on Tuesday, said that the supreme court has restricted the union labour department from setting up medical colleges.
The minister was responding to the Odisha labour minister Sushant Singh’s demand for setting up the much awaited ESI medical college in Bhubaneswar.
“The apex court has told us that our department is meant for looking after the welfare of labourers and not to set up medical colleges”, he said.
In reply to the Odisha minister’s proposal for setting up of hosptials in Paradip, Jeypore, Balasore and Berhampur, Gangwar said that the demands would be considered if the State fulfills the criteria.
Addressing the Regional Conference of State Labour Ministers and Principal Secretaries of Eastern States here, Gangwar said that the Supreme Court has restricted the labour department from setting up hospital. “The Apex court told us that our department is meant for looking after the welfare of labourers, not to set up medical colleges,” the minister told media.
The union minister was responding to the Odisha labour minister Sushanta Singh’s demand for establishment of ESI medical college in Bhubaneswar.
The ESIC on October 7, 2008 had decided to construct a medical college in every state. The state government had provided 25 acre to the ESIC for the project on outskirts of the city.
On demands of setting up of hospitals in Paradip, Jeypore, Balasore and Berhampur, the union minister said that the demands would be taken into consideration if the state fulfills the criteria.
Addressing the conference, Odisha minister said that the State government has registered 27 lakh construction workers and provided them with financial support to the tune of Rs 1,400 crore. Besides, over 1 crore labourers have been covered under social security net.
Bihar labour minister Bijaya Kumar Sinha, Chhattishgarh labour minister Shiv Kumar Daharia and union labour secretary Hiralal Samaria also addressed the conference.
