As 13 districts of Odisha turned Covid-free with no active cases and 24 out of its 30 districts reported no fresh cases yesterday, it became clear as day that the dreaded coronavirus pandemic was not only in recession but was also on its way out of the state at a fast clip.
From day after tomorrow, things will truly look like business as usual at the Loka Seva Bhawan, Kharavel Bhawan and Rajiv Bhawan what with the Odisha government’s decision to make the reception counters of these State Secretariat buildings fully functional from April 18 onwards and accessible to the general public and accredited journalists.
After two long years of constant health threats, concomitant social restrictions and consequent psychological distress, the public is finally looking forward to a normal life once again.
These positive sentiments are accentuated in no small measure by the continuous efforts of the Naveen Patnaik administration throughout the pandemic period to prepare Odisha for a greater future and larger role on the national stage – a path that the state has been firmly on over the best part of the past two decades.
One of the most recent examples of that was the inauguration of Shri Jagannath Medical College & Hospital (SJMCH) in Puri last Monday. On the same day, the institution – with a capacity to admit 100 MBBS students every year – saw the commencement of the academic year of its first batch.
Thanks to the 15 percent reservation policy of the state government, students of the poorest sections and government schools have gotten admission into medical college. This is a great – and much needed – development considering the serious handicap that students from such backgrounds had been increasingly facing against their English-medium and typically better-off counterparts.
One of the five medical colleges built under Phase 1 of the scheme for ‘Establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals’, this institution is a manifestation of Chief Minister Patnaik’s resolve to boost the healthcare system and services in Odisha and make the state fully prepared for future health emergencies. It is also in sync with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making healthcare accessible and affordable to all Indians.
Therefore, for the second and third phases of this scheme that will see two more medical colleges come up, one in Jajpur district and the other in Kalahandi district, the Centre has already released Rs 150 crore and Rs 100 crore, respectively, to the state government.
Another recent occasion that evoked optimism was when the five-time Chief Minister unveiled the official logo of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium. The fact that Odisha going to host the 15th edition of this major international event for the second consecutive time – and that too at two world-class venues in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela – is not only a matter of great pride for the people of the state, but also a reminder of how far Odisha has come in its mission to become an international sports capital.
As for the ever-improving law and order situation in the state, that’s a story for another day.
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