Bhubaneswar, Nov 25 (IANS): The Odisha government has requested the Centre for the establishment of 2nd All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the state.

Chief secretary Asit Tripathy has written a letter to the Union Health Ministry for the establishment of the 2nd AIIMS in Sundargarh district at the earliest.

Tripathy informed that Odisha has a fully functional AIIMS in Bhubaneswar which has emerged as one of the leading AIIMS in the country in terms of medical education and quality health care.

"We have learnt that a second AIIMS has been established in Bihar and a similar proposal is under consideration in another state. In view of the health care requirements of Odisha, it is proposed that a second AIIMS may be considered for Western Odisha in the district of Sundargarh," Tripathy added.

He said that there is already available infrastructure for College and Hospital in Sundargarh.

As a CSR initiative, an MoU has been signed between the Odisha government and NTPC to establish a Medical College and Hospital. The construction of the project has been completed and the equipment procurement process is going on, he said.

The hospital is designed for 500 beds and the college will have 100 seats in MBBS.

"Therefore, this available infrastructure can be utilised for setting up of AIIMS within a short period of time. It will cater to a large Tribal population in the area and help in providing quality tertiary care in the backward area of Western Odisha, informed the chief secretary.

The location is easily accessible through road, railway and air (Jharsuguda airport).