It seems that Naveen Patnaik is mollycoddling the people of Rourkela.

Chief Minister has now demanded the Government of India to favour with a Dental and Nursing College for the Steel City, said official sources.

State Government in the Department of Labour & Employment (DOLE) has asked the Ministry of Labour to set up the facilities in Rourkela keeping in view the long standing demand of the people.

After Rourkela has been sidetracked for a Medical College & Hospital, the State Government has initiated the move to set up Dental College and College of Nursing in the city.

There are 77,000 Insured Persons in Rourkela and surrounding areas under Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).

Nearest Hospital for them is Sambalpur and IPs require frequent references for their dental problems.

Further there is extreme shortage of nursing staff in the health institutions of the state including ESI Medical Institutions.

So both Dental and Nursing College is needed, said Satya Prakash Nanda, Development Commissioner.

Mr.Nanda has taken up the issue with P C Chaturvedi, the Union Secretary Labour & Employment.

It has been agreed that ESIC would consider opening up of a Dental College and College of Nursing at Rourkela. 

Investment in both the institutions will be around Rs.100 crores, said Sardar Jagar Singh, Secretary Labour & Employment.

Mr.Singh said that he has brought it to the notice of C D Kedar, the Director General ESIC.

Recently ESIC decided to set up a Medical College and Hospital at Bhubaneswar and this caused lot of resentment in Rourkela.

Civil society, Labour Unions and common men in the Steel city expressed their frustration over the matter.

So in order to assuage their hurt feelings, the State Government has posed both the institutions of learning at Rourkela.

Officials are hopeful that with this move the aspirations of the people in Rourkela will be partly fulfilled.