Mangalagiri (Guntur district): All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to complete in three years. Union minister for health and family welfare J.P. Nadda and AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu laid the foundation stone for the AIIMS at Mangalagiri on Saturday.
Mr Nadda announced that the AIIMS would be completed in three years and that the Union government was planning to upgrade district medical hospitals into medical colleges to serve the public better. He also said that AP would have a cancer care institute.
Union minister for health and family welfare J.P. Nadda said that Mr Naidu and Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu had worked arduously towards locating this AIIMS in Mangalagiri and that the Union government was planning to have one in all states.
He said that it was a great thing that the Centre had, in a short span of 18 months, started 11 new AIIMSes. He pointed out that the earlier NDA government, led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, started six AIIMSes, and now the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government had started 10 new ones, which was a record of sorts.
Once fully functional, the 17 AIIMSes will have a total bed strength of over 16,300 (960 beds in each). Super speciality blocks are being set up in 70 medical colleges and 58 district hospitals upgraded to medical colleges. There are 20 cancer institutes and 50 tertiary cancer care centres being set up too. The National Cancer Institute, Jhajjar (with bed capacity of 710) and another, the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, are also being established.
Mr Nadda explained that the total cost of establishment of the new AIIMS in Mangalagiri would be Rs 1,618 crore and it would be completed in a period of three years. Besides the hospital, it would have a teaching, Administration, and Ayush blocks, an auditorium, nursing college, night shelter, guesthouse, hostels and residential facilities. The Ayush wing would have Unani, Siddha and Ayurveda super speciality services.
Mr Nadda said that new AIIMS in Mangalagiri would be a remarkable milestone in the health sector of India. He added that the Union government’s initiatives were Mission Indradhanush, Kayakalp, AMRIT, introduction of new vaccines and eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus.
‘Stopping bills equal to stopping development’
Union minister for urban development M. Venkaiah Naidu alleged that heedless stalling of Parliament procedures by Congress is affecting the development of the country.
Mr Venkaiah Naidu, while laying foundation stone for the AIIMS at Mangalagiri on Saturday, said that forceful stopping of passage of bills is equal to the stopping of country’s development.
He used the function to explain the schemes and funds sanctioned by the Union government to AP. This included transfer of certain mandals in Telangana to AP for the smooth execution of Polavaram project, recent sanctioning of Rs 65,000 crores for road development. Mr Venkaiah Naidu claimed that he contacted Union health minister J.P. Nadda at least 20 times in connection with the sanctioning of AIIMS.
He said he was elected as MP from other state but is arduously working for the development of AP and Telangana to serve the Telugu community.
He alleged that the main opposition party in AP is following the national opposition party in stopping developmental activities and hence the duo is creating ruckuses in the Parliament and Assembly to stop sessions.
Venkaiah, CM shower praise on each other
Union minister for urban development, M. Venkaiah Naidu and AP Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu praised each other during the AIIMS foundation programme on Saturday.
Venkaiah Naidu said that Mr Naidu is extra smart hence he first asks about new projects and institutions. Addressing the public meeting, the Union minister recalled the time when Mr Naidu and he were elected as MLAs to the Assembly for the first time. He praised Mr Naidu’s intelligence and said he think innovatively beyond limit for AP’s development. He said that generally he does not praise anybody as he used to remain in Opposition for 40 years criticising ruling parties.
In his speech, the CM said that he used to listen to the speeches of Mr Venkaiah Naidu from a young age and was an ardent follower. He praised that Mr Venkaiah Naidu as being the best intellectual from AP. The CM thanked Mr Venkaiah Naidu for his cooperation towards rebuilding AP.
AIIMS likely to be named after ‘Atal’
AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has proposed of giving the name of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to the AIIMS being set up at Mangalagiri. He praised the BJP led Union government for creating history by sanctioning a number of institutions to AP in a record time of 18 months.
Mr Naidu said that all government hospitals of the state would be developed under public private partnerships. He added that the state government is planning to develop AIIMS Mangalagiri as the world’s best hospital and medical institute.
Mr Naidu said that he made the proposal in recognition of Vajpayee’s services and appealed the Union government to clear the proposal. Responding to the proposal union minister for urban development, M. Venkaiah Naidu said the proposal would be put in the Cabinet to get consent and assured to work for the same.
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