PM Modi inaugurates AIIMS and lays foundation stone for several projects worth over ₹3500 cr in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Kothipura in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh. Spread over an area of about 247 acres, this 1471 crore rupees 750 bedded premier medical institute would provide super specialty medical treatment to the people of the region.

Prime Minister also inaugurated 140 crore rupees Government Hydro Engineering College at Bandla in Bilaspur. He also laid foundation stones of 350 crore rupees for Medical Devices Park to be set up at Nalagarh and Pinjore-Nalagarh four-lane road project to be constructed under the Bharat Mala project with a cost of 1692 crore rupees.

While addressing a mammoth public meeting at historic Luhnu ground in Bilaspur, Prime Minister greeted the people in the local Bilaspur dialect. He said that AIIMS at Bilaspur would be known as the ‘Green AIIMS’ as it has been built in an eco-friendly manner. He said that AIIMS Bilaspur would not only increase access to affordable healthcare in the State, but also provide specialized healthcare facilities to the people of the region nearer to their homes.

He said, the Centre Government during the last eight years have worked to ensure that the benefits of development reach the remotest parts of the country.

Prime Minister said that the State of Himachal Pradesh has played a crucial role in guarding the frontiers of the nation (Rashtra Raksha) and now the AIIMS would go a long way in making Himachal a destination for ‘Jeevan Raksha”.

Narendra Modi said that Himachal Pradesh was one of the three states chosen for establishing a Bulk Drug Park and one of the four states chosen for a Medical Device Park. He said that credit for this goes to the faith and support the people of the state have provided to the Centre Government.

He said Medical tourism was another important sector that needed to be promoted in Himachal so that when people from across the world would come to India, they shall visit Himachal as the State has a beautiful and healthy environment.

Prime Minister also appreciated the good work done by the State Government in the Covid-19 vaccination drive and the effective implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission. He said that the social security cover provided by the State was also laudable. He also termed Himachal Pradesh a land of opportunities.

Earlier, on his arrival at AIIMS Bilaspur helipad, the Prime Minister was accorded a warm welcome by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, National BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur and the state cabinet Ministers.

The Prime Minister made a walkthrough of the Hospital Block, CT Scan Centre and Emergency and Trauma area of the AIIMS. The AIIMS authorities also made a demonstration of the 3D Model of AIIMS before the Prime Minister.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Dev Bhoomi Himachal said the people of the State would always remain indebted to the love and benevolence showered by the Prime Minister to the State. He said that providing AIIMS to a small State like Himachal Pradesh with only 70 lakh population shows the concern of the Prime Minister towards the development of the State and the welfare of the people of Himachal Pradesh. He also thanked the Prime Minister for dedicating developmental projects worth Rs. 3653 crore to the State today.

Jai Ram Thakur said, the present State Government is about to complete its five years tenure and during this period, the State Government ensured that State progress in all spheres of development.

Chief Minister said the Centre Government provided all possible support and cooperation to the State Government during this developmental journey. He said that developmental projects worth 10,000 crore rupees were sanctioned for the State during this period by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said these projects would go a long way in giving a boost to the development of the State.

Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for providing Bulk Drug Park for the State. He said that this Park would be spread over 1,405 acres in Haroli and would prove a game changer for the people of the region.

Member of Parliament and National BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda said that setting up of AIIMS outside Delhi was a vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the first AIIMS was established in Delhi way back in 1960. He said that the foundation stone of this institution was laid about four years back by the Prime Minister and despite the pandemic, this ambitious project was completed in a record time. He said that Hydro Engineering College at Bandla in Bilaspur is also a big gift of the Prime Minister to the State. He said that the Kol Dam Project was also started during the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and dedicated to the State by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said that the Congress Government always ignored the interests of the State, whereas the status of the special category state was restored by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that the 90:10 ratio for Central-State share for centrally sponsored projects was also restored during the tenure of the BJP. He said that Hatti Community of Sirmour district was also accorded tribal status by the Prime Minister and with this their long pending demand was fulfilled. He also thanked the Prime Minister.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur while welcoming the Prime Minister on the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami to the Dev Bhoomi Himachal thanked him for dedicating developmental projects worth crores of Rupees to the State. He said that Himachal Pradesh has been fortunate to always have benevolence of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that it was through the strong leadership provided by the Prime Minister that India was today emerging as a world power. He said that administering over 200 crore vaccine dosages free of cost to the people of the country against corona vaccine and free ration to 80 crore people for 28 months during the pandemic and providing PM Kissan Samman Niddhi of 6000 rupees per annum to the farmers of the country was only possible due to dynamic leadership of Narendra Modi.