Centre’s direction sought on approved ESI hospitals

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 4

Governor KK Paul has written a letter to Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment (independent charge) Bandaru Dattatreya, requesting him to give direction for construction of two hospitals and a diagnostic centre for the welfare of labourers in the state.

According to the proposal already approved, the hospitals under the Employees State Insurance Scheme (ESIC) are to be set up in Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar, and a radio diagnostic centre at Tarla Nagal in Dehradun. Besides, an ESI headquarters and a clinic at Selaqui have also been proposed.

The Governor mentioned in the letter that the state government had completed the formalities, including the provision of land free of cost. The entire construction work has to be done by the ESIC.

In another letter written to Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda, Paul requested him to release remaining funds for setting up a medical college at Almora. He said the Central government had in 2014 selected Almora for setting up a medical college and linking it to the district referral hospital.

The estimated cost of the project was Rs189 crore, of which 90 per cent (Rs 170 crore) had to be given by the Centre. The state government had to bear only 10 per cent of the total cost. The Centre has released Rs 11 crore till now and the state government has released Rs 0.99 crore. Paul said the remaining grant of Rs 159.10 crore should be released at the earliest.