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Mo Sarkar: CM Naveen Patnaik launches health projects worth Rs 400 crore

BHUBANESWAR: Ten days after he launched ‘Mo Sarkar’—the feedback on governance initiative — on October 2, chief minister Naveen Patnaik here on Monday announced healthcare projects worth more than Rs 400 crore based on patients’ advice.

“About 10 days ago on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary Mo Sarkar was launched.

We focussed on police and health. I have made 120 phone calls and the response has been overwhelming,” Naveen told reporters here.

Under the initiative, the chief minister and senior officers make phone calls to people visiting hospitals and police stations and gather their feedback on the services. The government officers — Team Mo Sarkar — are also visiting the hospitals to assess the ground situation and gather feedback first hand.

“As a follow up to the ‘Mo Sarkar team’s first day visit, based on patients’ feedback and discussions with doctors,” Naveen said, he has approved series of healthcare projects for Malkangiri , Koraput and Nabarangpur districts.

These include increasing the number of beds at Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital, Koraput from the current 300 to 700. “Detailed planning has been done for a composite hospital with 500 beds. In 24 months, it will be enhanced to 700,” a statement issued by the CM’s office said.

Naveen also announced to increase beds in Malkangiri (from 125 to 200), Nabarangpur (136 to 200) and Koraput district hospital (188 to 250). The CM announced a 200-bed new hospital building for Nabrangpur besides construction of attendants rest sheds in all these hospitals.

Secretary to CM (transformation and initiatives) V K Pandian and senior bureaucrats had visited these districts on October 9. The officers have visited 15 districts since then.

Amid criticism from the opposition that officers were touring districts instead of ministers under the initiative, Naveen said, “As part of our strategy, I had sent senior officers across the state with a directive to cover at least 15 districts. The feedback on people’s participation has been very inspiring and the response by both police and health functionaries in the field has been very encouraging,” Naveen said.

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