Bhubaneswar, March 15 -- Bhubaneswar: Odisha Health Minister Naba Das on Monday informed the State Assembly that Rs 344.55 crore has been released to privately operated COVID hospitals in the State for treatment of patients.

Replying to a question posed by BJP MLA from Jashipur, Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia in the Assembly, Das said a total of 33 private hospitals across Odisha which were given exclusive rights to treat COVID patients have claimed Rs 479.90 crore from the government as treatment expenses against which a sum of Rs 344.55 crore has been released till February 13, 2021.

Out of those, KIMS hospital in Bhubaneswar has claimed the highest amount (Rs 59.41 crore) against which Rs 38.40 crore has been released by the government.

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