Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday dedicated to the nation newly built AIIMS Guwahati on the first day of Assam's spring festival - Rongali Bihu. It is pertinent to note that the hospital is the first AIIMS in northeast India. PM Modi inspected the campus of AIIMS Guwahati and subsequently inaugurated it and three medical colleges at Nalbari, Nagaon and Kokrajhar. As per an official PMO release, the operationalization of AIIMS, Guwahati will mark a momentous occasion for the state of Assam and the entire Northeast region.
Speaking on the occasion, PM Modi said, "Whenever I talk about the development of the Northeast that has been done in the last 9 years, some people get disturbed because they are not getting the credit for growth in the state."
He added, "Northeast has got its first AIIMS and Assam has got three new medical colleges. The foundation stone for a super-specialty hospital has also been laid." He added that launch of the new AIIMS will strengthen medical infrastructure in the northeast.
Emphasising on government's focus on the northeast region, the PM said that the northeast was distant for earlier governments, and 'we have served with dedication to bring it near'. "Our govt's schemes have greatly benefited healthcare for women," he added.
Notably, the foundation stone of this Hospital was also laid by the Prime Minister in May 2017, the release added. AIIMS Guwahati is a state-of-the-art hospital with a capacity of 750 beds including 30 AYUSH beds and has been built at a cost of more than Rs 1120 crores. PMO said that the hospital will have an annual intake capacity of 100 MBBS students every year. The hospital will provide world-class health facilities to the people of Northeast, the release further said.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of the Assam Advanced Health Care Innovation Institute (AAHII).
The release added that AAHII is envisioned in such a context and will work such that ‘we find our own solutions for our own problems’. “AAHII, to be built at a cost of about Rs. 546 crore, will facilitate cutting-edge inventions and R&D in medicine and healthcare, identify the nation's unique problems related to health and promote the development of new technologies for solving those problems,” the statement further read.
The Prime Minister also launched the ‘Aapke Dwar Ayushman’ campaign by distributing Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) cards to eligible beneficiaries.
The Prime Minister will attend the programme marking the platinum Jubilee Celebrations of Guwahati High Court at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, Guwahati later in the day.
During the programme, the release mentioned, the Prime Minister will launch a mobile application ‘Assam Cop’ designed by Assam Police. The app will facilitate accused and vehicle search from the database of Crime & Criminal Network Tracking System (CCTNS) and the VAHAN national register.
PM Modi will then leave for Sarusajai Stadium, Guwahati to preside over a public function, where he will witness a colourful Bihu programme performed by more than ten thousand performers/ Bihu dancers. Here, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of various projects worth more than Rs. 10,900 crores.
During the event, the Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone and dedicate to the nation various development projects including the commissioning of a 500 TPD Menthol Plant in Namrup; laying of foundation stone of bridge on Brahmaputra River connecting Palashbari and Sualkuchi; foundation stone laying for beautification of Rang Ghar, Sivasagar; and dedication to five railway projects to the Nation, the PMO released further said.