Odisha Fire Safety Gap: Just 17 of 241 Mandated State Hospitals Hold Clearances

29 Sep 2026, 10:52 by Vinay Kakkad · KalingaTV

Bhubaneswar: A stark compliance deficit has emerged across Odisha’s public healthcare infrastructure, where barely one in fourteen state-run medical facilities mandated to hold fire clearances currently possesses a valid certificate.

Official data placed before the Odisha Legislative Assembly on Monday revealed that out of 241 government healthcare institutions legally bound to secure Fire Safety Certificates, merely 17 have valid paperwork in place. The figure leaves the state’s formal compliance rate at just 7.05 percent.

The disclosure was made by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in a written response to queries raised by Basta legislator Subasini Jena regarding institutional safety across the state.

According to the details furnished by Majhi, Odisha houses an overarching network of 747 state-operated healthcare centers—a count that spans government medical colleges and hospitals, District Headquarters Hospitals, Sub-Divisional Hospitals, and Community Health Centres. Under the legal framework of the Odisha Fire Safety Rules, 2017, along with its subsequent amendments, fire certification is explicitly obligatory for 241 of those establishments.

Yet, with only 17 facilities meeting the regulatory bar, the overwhelming majority operate without renewed or formal authorization. In response to the shortfall, the state administration has instructed non-compliant facilities to submit their applications in strict accordance with statutory guidelines.

Addressing administrative follow-up, Majhi indicated that authorities are actively pursuing corrective measures governed by the Odisha Fire Safety Rules, 2017, and its updated provisions to resolve structural and technical deficiencies, while initiating appropriate regulatory enforcement.