The Central Government has decided to set up All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) near Jalandhar, besides facilitating the Punjab Government in setting up advance drug de-addiction centers.
The decision to set up AIIMS, in Doaba region somewhere near Jalandhar, was taken during the meeting between Union Health Minister Dr Harshvardhan and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in fulfillment of state government’s commitment to provide best healthcare and diagnostic facilities to the people across the state.
Badal opined that the hospital should be established in the state’s central area so that “it would provide an easy access to patients from across the State to avail quality treatment at the shortest possible time”.On its part, the State Government would provide 200 acres of land free of cost to the Union Government for setting up this project, said Badal.
Assuring fulsome support and cooperation to the Chief Minister, Dr Harshvardhan said that the Centre would set up this state-of-the art medical institute in the state and immediately initiate steps to bring the project on the ground once the proposal regarding land allotment was finalised by the State Government.
Badal urged the Minister to expedite release of funds worth Rs120 crore already sanctioned by the Centre for setting up State Cancer Institute at Government Medical College, Amritsar. He also sought Minister’s intervention to take up the case for increasing seats of MBBS and PG seats in the state medical colleges with Medical Council of India to overcome the shortage of doctors in the state. Flagging up the issue of drug menace in the state, Badal sought Union Health Ministry’s support in tackling this grave problem engulfing the state’s youth. He impressed upon the Minister to set up Advance Drug de-addiction centers in the state with adequate manpower, logistics and infrastructural back up for detoxification and rehabilitation of the drug addicts.
Besides, financial grant of Rs200 crore has also been sought to cope up with the crisis arisen out of drug menace.
Highlighting another significant issue, Badal sought Minister’s personal intervention for requisite permission to reopen Government Ayurvedic College at Patiala, wherein admissions were not allowed since past three years despite making requisite arrangements for adequate infrastructure and faculty by the state government, and allow admissions of new batch.