Nalco not on sale says PM

 Addressing a public meeting after laying the foundation stone for the regional center so of All India Medical Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) at Sijua, a small village on the outskirt of Bhubaneswar, Vajpayee said, "Nalco ka disinvestments nahi hoga" and then quickly added "philhal nahi hoga".

 He also dispelled uncertainty over setting up of a oil refinery at Paradip by the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) saying the project will be completed soon. The Centre is backing this project and with the cooperation of the state government it will be erected, he said.

 Both the disinvestments in Nalco and inordinate delay in start of work on the oil refinery have emerged as the foremost issues in the state. Upping the ante, the opposition Congress and other outfits and trade unions have been severely criticizing the state government and the Centre for neglecting the interests of the state for last few months.

 The opponents of the Nalco disinvestments have staged agitations against the move. Similarly the opposition parties had demanded a statement from the prime minister on the status of the oil refinery project.

 Even today, coinciding with the prime minister's visit, several Central trade unions staged dharna and protest meeting outside the state assembly here demanding clarification from the prime minister about both Nalco and the oil refinery projects.

 Earlier, the prime minister launched Pradhan Mantri Swsthya Surakhya Yojana by laying the foundation of the regional AIIMS at Sijua. "We want to make available health care facilities to all and a series of developmental programmes are being taken up all over the country for the purpose", Vajpayee said. He said such regional AIIMS will be set up in six states including Orissa.

 The Prime Minister also simultaneously dedicated to the nation the Institute of Life Science here which has recently been taken over by the Centre from the administration of the state.