Amit Shah boosts Assam healthcare with Rs 2,092 crore projects

In a significant expansion of Assam’s medical infrastructure, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday inaugurated a slew of health projects worth Rs 2,092 crore. The centrepiece of the development drive was the inauguration of the Pragjyotishpur Medical College and Hospital in Guwahati, which is set to enhance tertiary care accessibility in the State.

Accompanied by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Shah dedicated the new medical college — built at a cost of Rs 675 crore — to the people of Assam. This facility marks a major milestone, becoming the 14th operational medical college in the State and the second of its kind in Guwahati. During the event, the Union Minister also virtually inaugurated the Saraswatidevi Shibkishan Damani Academic Block, which houses the new institution.

The expansion project extended beyond the State Capital as Shah virtually inaugurated two dedicated cancer care centres in Golaghat and Tinsukia. These facilities, constructed with an investment of Rs 270 crore, are part of the Assam Cancer Care Foundation’s broader network, aimed at decentralising specialised oncological treatment across the State.

The Union Home Minister further laid the foundation stones for three new Super Speciality Hospitals in Diphu, Jorhat, and Barpeta, with a combined budgetary allocation of Rs 814 crore. Additionally, plans for a new ‘Swasthya Bhawan’ in Guwahati’s Six Mile area (Rs 218 crore) and the development of the Abhayapuri District Hospital (Rs 115 crore) were set in motion.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma underscored the strategic importance of these developments, noting that the connectivity provided by the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Bridge has brought major medical institutions like AIIMS Guwahati and the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital within a 10-minute reach of the city centre.

Reflecting on the geopolitical necessity of bolstering domestic medical education, Sarma recalled the challenges faced during the onset of the conflict in Ukraine, which forced many Indian medical students to return home.

“The situation put pressure on the Government and raised the question as to why the number of medical seats is limited, forcing students to travel abroad,” he stated. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the vision of creating one lakh MBBS seats nationwide to ensure students do not need to seek education overseas.

The Chief Minister shed light on the public-private collaboration behind the Pragjyotishpur project, specifically highlighting the contribution of industrialist Radhakishan Damani. Sarma explained that the initiative began after a conversation with Union Minister Piyush Goyal, leading to the Damani group covering the full construction costs of the academic and administrative blocks as an act of philanthropy.

The medical college, which has already received recognition from the National Medical Council, will operate with 505 beds, including 46 ICU units. It has already enrolled its first batch of 100 students.

Looking at the broader roadmap for the State’s healthcare, Sarma highlighted the ambitious partnership with Tata Trusts to establish 17 cancer hospitals across the State. With the inauguration of the Golaghat and Tinsukia facilities, the Government is nearing the completion of this network, which the Chief Minister described as unprecedented in the Government sector.

Furthermore, the State is gearing up to install a state-of-the-art Proton Beam Therapy unit at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital at a cost of up to Rs 500 crore.

“Assam now has 15 medical colleges, and work on 10 more continues with an investment of Rs 6,000 crore,” the Chief Minister noted, outlining a vision to have at least one medical college in every district by 2030. He projected that once these projects are operational, the State’s annual intake capacity for MBBS students will rise from 2,000 to 5,000.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Ashok Singhal, Member of Parliament Bijuli Kalita Medhi, MLA Ramendra Narayan Kalita, Vice Chancellor Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences Dr Anup Kumar Barman, noted industrialist Radhakishan Damani, along with a host of dignitaries, senior officials, professors, and students, attended the event.