Excelsior Correspondent
IMPHAL (MANIPUR), Oct 24: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh has proposed the innovative idea of “Mobile Air Dispensary” service for remote and far-flung areas of Northeast, which would envisage a mobile dispensary in a Helicopter with a doctor, necessary equipment and medicines that can fly to remote and far-flung on regular basis and also, as and when required. He said, particularly in areas from where patients find it difficult to reach a dispensary, a doctor with dispensary can reach them. The same experiment,which would possibly be the first of its kind in the country, can also be replicated in other hill States and remote areas having poor connectivity like Jammu and Kashmir,Himachal Pradesh etc, he added.
On the first day of his two-day visit to Manipur, Dr Jitendra Singh was speaking to media persons after a one to one meeting with Governor, Najma Heptulla followed by a review meeting with State Administration. He appreciated the Governor for having endorsed this idea by citing the example of “Royal Flying Service of Australia”, popularly known as “Flying Doctors”, which is meant to provide aid and primary health care service in rural and remote areas. He said this idea has already been discussed with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and MoS Jayant Sinha has indicated the inclination to work out its feasibility. Meanwhile, he said, he has also held negotiations with the management of some of the leading helicopter companies in the country.
Dr Jitendra Singh disclosed that soon,the officers of DoNER Ministry,North Eastern Council and the Govt of Manipur will also sit with the officials of union Ministry of Health to work out the modalities
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to set-up a Sports University in Manipur, Dr Jitendra Singh said he is quite disappointed that even after nearly two years, the State Government has failed to fulfill the requirement of land acquisition, as a result of which the project has got delayed. He said, there are some contentious issues about the land identified by State Government and he has requested the Union Sports Ministry that if the State Government falls short of cooperating to the expected level, then the union Ministry of DoNER should be allowed to identity the land and go ahead with the project. He said, the Prime Minister had made the announcement of Sports University keeping in mind the fact that maximum number of medals and awards in Olympics are fetched by youth from this region and therefore they deserve to be groomed in a professional manner.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Modi Government accords highest priority to Northeastern States and therefore, it is the responsibility of the State Government to ensure that 100% targets are achieved as far as the Central Government schemes are concerned. He said, he is contemplating a methodology by DoNER Ministry to monitor and point out the lapses on the part of the State Government in implementing the Central schemes.
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