Narrating people’s growing trust in his Government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said 42 lakh senior citizens had voluntarily given up their railway concession in the past nine months while 1.25 crore families surrendered their gas subsidy. The Prime Minster was speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the National Centre for Ageing at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
“The working style of my Government has created an atmosphere of honesty in the country and as a result of this change in attitude, more and more people are coming forward to contribute to the nation building by voluntarily giving up on various subsidies and concessions,” the PM said.
Modi said he had requested people from the Red Fort to the well-off families to give up their lPG subsidies as the same could be passed on to the needy. Till now 1.25 crore families have given up the benefit.
“In past four years, public healthcare in the nation has been given a new direction. The Central Government, along with State Governments, is working towards providing technology-friendly infrastructure in healthcare,” he said. Modi also said out of 12 AIIMS projects promised by the Government, eight are already being constructed. He said, “Due to Government’s constant efforts, institutional deliveries have increased. There is an unprecedented fall in the maternal mortality rate as well as infant mortality rate due to proper medical care and five new vaccinations.”
The PM also declared that India aims to become Tuberculosis-free much before its counterparts.
Earlier, the PM also inaugurated four other projects at AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital. The projects include an underground connecting tunnel between AIIMS and Jai Prakash Narayan Apex (JPNA) Trauma Centre, a Power Grid Vishram Sadan at AIIMS, a 500 bedded New Emergency Block and an 807-bedded Super Specialty Block at the Safdarjung Hospital. These five projects cost around Rs 1,700 crore.
Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda, MoS Anupriya Patel, MoS Dr Randeep Guleria, AIIMS Director IS Jha and CMD Power Grid Corporation of India Dr Rajendra were also present in the ceremony.
The National Centre for Ageing project, which costs Rs 330 crore, aims to provide clinical care and geriatric medicine (medicine focusing on elderly people) besides providing training facility to undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The centre, which will also have 200 general ward beds as well as 20 medical ICU beds, is expected to be completed by February 2020.
“Efforts will be made to complete the National Centre for Ageing in 1 to 2 years and it will have several facilities for elderly people. It will have research centre for elderly people. Apart from this, advancement projects of approximately Rs 1,300 crore have been undertaken in the Safdarjung Hospital,” the PM said.
In the Safdarjung Hospital, a New Emergency Block and a Super Specialty Block costing approximately Rs 1,400 crore have been added as part of ‘Sagdarjung Hospital Redevelopment Plan’ which will adds 1,307 beds to its present capacity. While the New Emergency Block has 500 beds including 90 ICU beds and a red zone for children and adults, the Super Specialty Block has 807 beds including 430 general, 228 paid, 125 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 24 emergency beds. These Blocks are designed to provide high quality and advanced technology based facilities to the patients.
“New Emergency Block and Super Specialty Blocks are dedicated to the nation. With about 500 emergency beds, Safdarjung Hospital will become nation’s largest emergency care hospital” said the PM.
Speaking on Power Grid Vishram Sadan, he said “This is an example of equipment available to public as well as social responsibility. This will not only benefit the patients but also their relatives.” This Vishram Sadan costing worth approximately Rs 32 crore, will provides 300-bedded night shelter to the patients and their relatives visiting AIIMS and Trauma Centre at very low costs, he added.