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| New AIIMS branches in 3 years |
| BS Reporter / Kolkata/ Bhubaneswar Jun 19, 2009, 00:08 IST |
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The proposed branches of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the country’s premier medical institution, are likely to be ready in three years. This was stated by Union minister for health and family welfare, Ghulam Nabi Azad here today.
It may be noted the erstwhile NDA government at the Centre had proposed to set up six branches of AIIMS at Patna, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Raipur and Rishikesh in 2003. The cabinet committee on economic affairs had given its nod to the projects in March, 2006. However, these projects have not been able to make much headway since then.
Azad said, “I will review the progress of all the new AIIMS projects including the one proposed to be constructed at Bhubaneswar, to ensure that they are ready in a period of three years”.
Addressing the media, Azad attributed the delay in the Bhubaneswar AIIMS project, estimated to cost about Rs 820 crore, to the deficiencies both at the Central and the state level. He asked the Orissa government to remove the obstacles coming in the way of construction of the AIIMS branch at Sijua near the state capital. Alleging that the steps taken by the Orissa government were slow, he said, proper land demarcation for the project is yet to start though the detailed project report (DPR) was ready.
The Orissa government needs to take some pro-active measures to expedite the work and the high power transmission lines and the village road passing through the proposed site have to be shifted. The encroachment from the land allotted to the project also needs to be removed by the state government.
Stating that the Centre was initiating measures to bring the project on track, he said, the project is yet to get the clearance of the forest and environment ministry. “I have talked to the Union forest and environment minister Jairam Ramesh and urged him to expedite the work pertaining to the forest and environment clearance for 90 acres of land coming within the site”, he said. Orissa badly needs a branch of AIIIMS and steps will be taken to make the project operational at the earliest, he added.
The Union minister said, the state was provided Rs 1221 crore under the National Rural Health Mission during 2005-2009 and out of this Rs 900 crore was utilised. The Centre has provided Rs 362 crore to the state during the current fiscal to strengthen health infrastructure, procurement of equipments and improving staff at various levels.
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