Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited poll-bound Himachal Pradesh today, on the occasion of Dussehra and inaugurated the All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bilaspur. Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, Union Minister Anurag Thakur and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President JP Nadda were also present during the occasion, reported news agency ANI.
He also laid foundation stone of multiple development projects in Bilaspur worth over Rs 3,650 crore.
While speaking at the occasion, the Prime Minister said the development projects inaugurated will "play an important role in achieving the vision of a developed India".
"The development projects inaugurated today on the occasion of Vijayadashami will play an important role in achieving the vision of a developed India by following the 'Panch Pran'. Today, Bilaspur has got the double gift of education & medical facilities," the PM said, as reported by ANI.
He also hailed BJP government's effort in taking development to the remotest part of the country in the last eight years of being in power at the Centre.
"In the last 8 years, we've worked on ensuring development benefits reach the remotest parts of the country. AIIMS Bilaspur will not only increase access to affordable healthcare in Himachal but is also eco-friendly and will be known as 'Green AIIMS' Said the PM to a large crowd gathered in Bilaspur, reported ANI.
Praising the people of the state for their valour, PM Modi said, "Himachal plays crucial role in 'rashtra raksha' and now with AIIMS at Bilaspur, it will also play pivotal role in 'jeevan raksha'."
Hospital Infrastructure
Constructed at a cost of more than Rs 1,470 crore, AIIMS Bilaspur is a state-of-the-art hospital with 18 speciality and 17 super-speciality departments, 18 modular operation theatres and 750 beds, including 64 ICU beds.
The institute is spread over 247 acres and equipped with 24-hour emergency and dialysis facilities, and modern diagnostic machines such as ultrasonography, CT scan and MRI among others. It will also have a Jan Aushadhi Kendra and a 30-bed AYUSH block.
The hospital will also have a Centre for Digital Health to provide health services in tribal and inaccessible areas of the state.
Specialist health services will be provided by the hospital through health camps in the inaccessible tribal and high Himalayan regions such as Kaza, Saluni, and Keylong. Around 100 students will get admission for MBBS and 60 students for nursing courses every year.
The foundation of the newly-built hospital was laid by PM Modi in October 2017 and it has been established under the Centre's Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, the statement said.