State-run National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) Friday inked a pact with the Odisha government to set up a medical college and hospital in Sundergarh district, an official said.

 

 The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by NTPC Director U.P. Pani and state Health Secretary P.K. Mohapatra at the secretariat here in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and senior state and company officials.

 

 According to the pact, NTPC will set up the medical college and hospital at the district headquarters town of Sundergarh, about 410 km from state capital Bhubaneswar, with an investment of Rs.350 crore, a senior official of the state health department told IANS.

 

 The medical college will have 100 medical seats for students. The hospital will have a 400-bed capacity, he said. 

 

 The building is expected to be built by 2016 and admission for medical courses will start from the 2016-2017 academic session, he said. 

 

 The state government will provide 20 acres of land free of cost to NTPC for the medical college and hospital. The Sundergarh district administration has already identified the required land, which falls near a national highway, the official said.