Bhubaneswar, March 8 -- Bhubaneswar: Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday wrote to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan requesting him to set up one of the four proposed National Institutes of Virology in Bhubaneswar.

Justifying his demand, Pradhan said that Bhubaneswar has emerged as a prime centre of medical research and education in Eastern India with the presence of world-class institutes such as All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Institute of Life Sciences (ILS), ICMR-Regional Medical Research Center and ICAR-ICFMD (International Centre for Foot & Mouth Disease).

"Owing to its strategic location and skilled manpower, Bhubaneswar is well positioned to be considered as location for one of the four propos...