Baripada: A major milestone in the healthcare and infrastructure development of northern Odisha was achieved on Monday as Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi inaugurated the new 650-bed teaching hospital of Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital in Baripada and launched development projects worth over ₹430 crore across Mayurbhanj district.
The Chief Minister dedicated the modern teaching hospital building, constructed at an estimated cost of ₹258 crore, and described it as a transformative healthcare institution that would serve not only Mayurbhanj but the entire northern Odisha region, neighbouring states and tribal-dominated areas.According to the official statement, a total investment of ₹430.26 crore has been earmarked for strengthening the district’s infrastructure. As part of the programme, foundation stones were laid for 21 projects worth over ₹282 crore, while 18 completed projects worth more than ₹149 crore were inaugurated, taking the total number of development works launched to 39.
Among the major initiatives inaugurated were 83 drinking water projects developed at an investment of nearly ₹100 crore. These projects are expected to address long-standing drinking water challenges and improve access to basic services in several parts of the district.
Highlighting the significance of the new teaching hospital, the Chief Minister said the facility would substantially strengthen healthcare delivery in northern Odisha through advanced diagnostic services, specialist treatment departments, emergency care facilities, critical care units and modern academic infrastructure.He noted that the expanded bed capacity and specialist healthcare services would reduce the need for patients to travel to distant cities for treatment, thereby easing both financial and logistical burdens on families while ensuring timely access to quality medical care.
Given Mayurbhanj’s large tribal population, Majhi expressed confidence that the institution would play a key role in improving community health, maternal and child healthcare, public health research and health awareness among tribal communities.
Reviewing the state’s healthcare initiatives, the Chief Minister said that under the Ayushman Bharat-Gopabandhu Jana Arogya Yojana, around 1.30 crore families and 3.46 crore people are receiving free quality treatment at empanelled government and private hospitals across the country.
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