To expand the state’s emergency medical infrastructure, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday flagged off 250 new ambulances. The dedication ceremony, held at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, follows an initial launch of 150 vehicles in December last year, marking a rapid scaling of health services across the state.
The state government has allocated approximately Rs 111 crore from its own resources to fund the new fleet.
According to the Chief Minister, the primary goal of the expansion is to ensure that emergency care is accessible on time and to bridge the critical “golden hour” for patients travelling to hospitals.
“The objective of launching these ambulances is to ensure timely emergency health services and reduce the time taken for patients to reach hospitals,” Majhi said.
With the addition of these vehicles, Odisha’s operational emergency fleet has grown to 866 ambulances. An additional 500 services under the ‘Janani Express’ scheme cater specifically to pregnant women and sick children, the officials said.
ଆଜି କଳିଙ୍ଗ ଷ୍ଟାଡିୟମଠାରେ ଆୟୋଜିତ ଏକ ସ୍ୱତନ୍ତ୍ର କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକ୍ରମରେ ରାଜ୍ୟବାସୀଙ୍କ ସେବାରେ ଆଉ ୨୫୦ଟି ନୂତନ ‘୧୦୮’ ଆମ୍ବୁଲାନ୍ସର ଶୁଭାରମ୍ଭ କଲି। ଆମ ସରକାର ଲୋକଙ୍କ ସରକାର; ତେଣୁ ଉପକୂଳରୁ ଉପାନ୍ତ ଏବଂ ଗାଁରୁ ସହର – ପ୍ରତ୍ୟେକ ବର୍ଗର ଲୋକଙ୍କ ପାଖରେ ଉନ୍ନତ ସ୍ୱାସ୍ଥ୍ୟସେବା ପହଞ୍ଚାଇବା ଆମର ପ୍ରାଥମିକତା। ରାଜ୍ୟର ଜରୁରୀକାଳୀନ… pic.twitter.com/7wNUkpaUi4
— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) February 10, 2026
Outlining the future of medical transit in the state, the Chief Minister stated that the government is taking steps to ensure uninterrupted ambulance services from all blocks to district hospitals, and from district hospitals to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
“Ambulance services will also be extended to airstrips such as Rourkela and Jaipur under the Viman Yojana,” the CM said.
Currently, the state’s ambulance network transports over 5,000 patients daily to government medical facilities, officials said.
