Intends to complete prestigious projects in its tenure
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Nov 18: In a significant development, the PDP-BJP Coalition Government has finalized three sites for establishment of two All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Jammu and Kashmir and Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been requested to depute teams for final decision as early as possible so that these prestigious institutes are dedicated to the people during next five years.
Talking to EXCELSIOR, Minister for Health and Medical Education, Choudhary Lal Singh said that Government has finalized three sites for establishment of AIIMS in Kashmir as well as Jammu divisions and all the relevant details relating to these three sites have been submitted to the Union Health Ministry for its perusal.
In Jammu region, the Government has identified two sites—one each at Vijaypur and Ghagwal, both in Samba district while as in Kashmir valley, the land has been identified at Awantipora in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district. For establishment of each AIIMS, the Government has to make available 1600 kanals of land to the Union Government.
In response to a question, Ch Lal Singh said that the site at Vijaypur is entirely State land while as in Ghagwal major chunk of identified land falls in the private category. Similarly, 1300 kanals of identified land at Awantipora is State land while as remaining 300 kanals is private land.
Stating that these three sites meet the criteria laid down by the Union Government for establishment of AIIMS, the Health Minister said, “the sites at Vijaypur and Ghagwal are just close to the National Highway and the Railway Station besides their connectivity with the Jammu Airport is very smooth”, adding “the site at Awantipora near Islamic University is five kilometers away from railway station, eight kilometers away from the commercial airport and nearer to the National Highway”.
Pointing towards Rs 2000 crore earmarked for each AIIMS under the recently announced Central Package, Ch Lal Singh said, “the present Coalition Government wants to complete these prestigious projects during its tenure as such I have made personal request to the Union Health Minister J P Nadda to immediately depute teams of his Ministry for inspection and finalization of sites”, adding “following finalization of sites by the Union Ministry, necessary formalities would be completed in order to ensure early start of the work on two AIIMS”.
“Setting up of AIIMS in both the regions would be a major development in the healthcare system of the State”, the Health Minister said, adding “these institutes would give fillip to overall healthcare in Jammu and Kashmir and people would not get compelled to visit prestigious institutions outside the State for specialized medicare”.
The Health Minister disclosed that he has given nod for establishment of seven new Nursing Colleges in Jammu and Kashmir in Government sector and both Kashmir and Jammu Universities have been furnished required details in this regard. “Very shortly we are going to approach Nursing Council of India in this regard so that all the formalities are completed in a time bound manner”, he said while informing that these Nursing Colleges would produce 350 Nurses every year and help in meeting requirement of Nurses in the existing and upcoming health institutions of the State.
In response to a question, the Health Minister informed that Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation has been made functional by the present Government and tenders for procurement of Medicines for the health institutions have reached the final stage. “Now we are shortly going to float tenders for procurement of equipments and then ambulances”, he added.
“The previous Government had only created Medical Supplies Corporation but no serious effort was made to make it functional so as to introduce new system of making procurements for the health sector in most transparent manner”, he said.
He further disclosed that Dooru and Basohli have been selected for establishment of Model Hospitals and keeping in view success of this initiative similar Model Hospitals would be set-up in other parts of the State also.
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