Odisha government today said eight more medical colleges would be set up under PPP (Public -Private-Partnership) mode in different parts of the state.Of these, construction work of two colleges have been completed, Health Minister Damodar Rout said while replying to a question in the Assembly.

“The Hi-Tech Medical College & Hospital and Sardar Rajas Medical College and Hospital have already completed their construction works at Rourkela and Jaring in Kalahandi district,” the minister said.

Stating that 10 per cent of beds in such college hospitals would be reserved for BPL patients, he said 25 per cent of poor people will get free treatment at the outdoor patient departments of these hospitals.

The organisations which have agreed to set up medical college hospitals in PPP mode are: Hi-Tech Medical College & Hospital (Rourkela), Navadigant Educational Trust (Bhubaneswar), Blue Hill National Health Care & Educational Trust (Chandpur, Nayagarh), Eastern India Construction Limited (Phulnaphara, near Bhubaneswar), Sibani Educational & Charitable Trust (Bhubaneswar), Sahajog Health Care & Research Foundation (keonjhar) and Sardar Rajas Medical College & Hospital (Jirang, Kalahandi), the minister said.

“Of the eight proposed medical college and hospitals, the state government has signed MoUs with three organisations like Hi-Tech Medical College & Hospital, Sahayog Health Care & Research Foundation and Sardar Rajas Medical & Hospital,” the minister said.

All the PPP medical colleges will have at least 50 seats for MBBS course and the number of seats may rise in accordance with the decision of Medical Council of India (MCI).

The state has eight medical college hospitals, including four in private sector having 900 MBBS seats.