From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Sep 18: Union Labour Minister Mallikarjuna Kharge, who was responsible for sanctioning and establishing Karnataka’s and the country’s first medical college from the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) in Bangalore, will be setting up the second medical college from ESIC in his home district of Gulbarga.

The Union Labour Minister made the announcement after inaugurating the state-of-the-art ESIC Model Hospital at Rajajinagar in partnership with Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research Unit.

The ESIC Model Hospital in Rajajinagar is a novel partnership involving the two public sector health institutes to provide super speciality cardiac health care to those covered under the ESI, Kharge said.

The senior Congress leader said it would be possible to set up the proposed medical college in Gulbarga next year itself if the state health department cooperated with his ministry.

“The government hospital in Gulbarga should be given to the ESIC for two years to comply with the formalities related to setting up new medical college,” he said.

He declared: ''We will return the hospital to the state government after two years and move to the campus of the new medical college.”

He said that he had already discussed the issue with Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who had called on him at his residence in Bangalore on Monday morning.

Karnataka would also get three new ESI hospitals at Doddaballapur, Bommasandra and Nanjangud, Kharge said.

The 100-bed hospital proposed to be built at Doddaballapur for weavers was expected to cost about Rs 100 crore.

Karnataka Labour Minister B N Bachche Gowda, Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences & Research Director Dr C N. Manjunath, ESIC Model Hospital, Rajajinagar Medical Superintendent Dr S L Vig and Ramachandra Gowda, MLC, were also present.