As India stares at a looming cancer crisis, with an estimated of over 17.3 lakh new cases and over 8.8 lakh deaths due to the disease by 2020, the upcoming National Cancer Institute in Jhajjar district of Haryana has its course chalked out.

As per the latest estimates of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), most of these deaths will be caused by the cancers of the breast, lung and cervix.

Modelled on the US-based National Cancer Institute (NCI), India's National Cancer Institute, by far the biggest in the country, is all set to begin its Out Patient Department (OPD) services as early as this year end will be fully operational by mid 2018.

Speaking to The Statesman, AIIMS, New Delhi Deputy Director (Administration) V Srinivas, said, "We are looking at this year end to start the OPD services and the institute will be fully operational by mid next year. The institute will set new standards in translational research and will definitely take the load off the AIIMS, New Delhi starting with large-scale pendency for surgeries, etc", he added.

Officials said the institute will lead all the patient and research activities related to cancer in the country and will have the necessary linkages with all regional cancer centres and other cancer institutions within the country.

To increase the tertiary care facilities in cancer, the government is implementing a scheme to support the establishment of 20 state cancer institutes (SCIs) and 50 tertiary care cancer centres (TCCCs) in different parts of the country. These will mentor all cancer related activities in their respective areas while the national cancer centre will act as an apex body for the network of the SCIs and TCCCs and shall develop and mentor Cancer related activities.

The National Cancer Institute, is by far the largest health sector investment project in the country with an allocation of Rs.2,035 crores with 710 beds, four linear accelerators, more than two dozen operation theaters, over a dozen laboratories for Principal Investigators besides a separate Diagnostics Block for major work . Once it becomes fully operational, the institute will cater to 10 lakh patients annually

In the past, the upcoming National Cancer Institute attracted international attention when senior faculty from the National Cancer Institute of Baltimore USA and the MD Anderson Cancer Centre to AIIMS visited the site last year.