Chief Minister was today joined by Gulam Nabi Azad, Union Health Minister, in laying the foundation stone of Super Speciality Hospital

Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister was today joined by Gulam Nabi Azad, Union Health Minister, in laying the foundation stone of Super Speciality Hospital at Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Government Medical College, at Tanda in Kangra district estimated to cost Rs. 150 crore.Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal said that the State Government was endeavouring to create a strong and wide network of specialised medical services to the people at their doorsteps and the Tanda Hospital would emerge as a specialised health institute to meet the requirement of lower areas. He said that the Super Speciality Hospital would cater to the specialised medical services of the patients not from within the state but from neighbouring states as well. He said that Himachal Pradesh had been utilizing the Central Funds received for various developmental activities judiciously. He said that it was unfortunate that the Union Government had undervalued the committed liabilities of the State by about Rs. 1600 crore. He said that health security was the major concern of the State Government for which added attention was being paid. He assured the Union Health Minister that the State would not lag behind in any way in rising to the expectations and aspirations of the people of the state in catering to their developmental needs.

Chief Minister welcomed the Union Health Minister to Himachal Pradesh and said that he was personally obliged by his benign presence. He said that Shri Azad was well versed with the practical difficulties of the hill states and he himself had been Chief Minister of hill State of Jammu and Kashmir.

Shri Gulam Nabi Azad, Union Health Minister, complimented the State Government for raising an impressive and sprawling campus of the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Degree College, Tanda which was only one of its kind in the country. He said that he was aware of the problems and developmental requirements of the hill states since he belonged to a hill state of Jammu and Kashmir and had been Chief Minister there. He said that on assuming the office he divided the country into three zones. The Hill States were separated from other States where adequate land was available for setting up of medical colleges. He said that health para meters in North were not very encouraging, since it lacked adequate education and health network infrastructure. He said that about 4,700 seats were increased in Super Speciality Health Institutions and 10 to 12 thousand MD seats would be increased in coming three years. He said that it would make teaching medical fraternity available to various medical colleges to produce more medical professionals in the country. He said that the age limit of medical faculty was increased to 65 years so that experienced professionals could contribute





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significantly towards strengthening of health network. He said that the Union Government was considering further enhancement in the age to 70 years.

Union Health Minister complimented the state for best health indicators in health sector, especially in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), MMR, family planning etc. He said that home based delivery facility would be ensured and special sleeping bags for infants to keep them warm for atleast eight hours would be ready in a couple of months. He directed the authorities to complete the hospital in 18 months so that it was dedicated to the public on priority.

Dr. Rajiv Bindal, Health Minister, welcomed the Union Health Minister and Chief Minister to the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Super Speciality Hospital at Tanda and thanked them for the same. He thanked the Union Health Minister for making budgetary provisions of Rs. 5,000 crore for Matri Shishu Swasthya Yojna. He also thanked him for increasing the PG seats in the State Medical Colleges to 75. He urged the Union Minister to include Himachal Pradesh in the list of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna at par with J&K. and Trauma Centre for every National Highway.
G.S.Bali, local MLA, welcomed the Chief Minister to his home segment and urged Union Minister to include Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Kangra at Tanda in the list of Rural Medical Colleges and provide liberal funds for its development and expansion. Dr. Anil Chauhan, Principal of the College proposed vote of thanks. Ravinder Singh Ravi, IPH Minister, Shri Kishan Kapoor, Industries Minister, Shri Ramesh Dhwala, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister, Smt. Sarveen Chaudhary, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, Dr. Rajan Sushant, MP Lok Sabha, Shri G.S.Bali, Shri Vipan Parmar, Shri Parveen Sharma, Shri Sukhvinder Sukhu, Shri Sanjay Chaudhary, Shri Yog Raj, Shri Nikhil Rajour, MLAs, Shri Chander Kumar and Shri Vidya Sagar, former Ministers, former MLAs, Shri Suman Verma, Chairperson, Zila Parishad and prominent people of the area were present among others.