Amit Shah inaugurates various development projects of the Assam Government in Guwahati

Amit Shah yesterday inaugurated various development projects of the Assam Government in Guwahati. On this occasion, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and several other dignitaries were also present.

Addressing the gathering, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that this programme is important not only for Assam but for the entire Northeast. He said that about ten years ago, the condition of healthcare services across the Northeast was very poor. The opposition party that remained in power for years never cared about the health of the people, except for the financial health of their own families. Shri Shah said that since Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma became the Chief Minister of Assam, he has succeeded in bringing the state’s healthcare system on par with developed states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. A large number of government hospitals have been constructed in the state, several medical colleges have been established, and priority has been given to setting up government medical colleges so that children from poor families can also pursue medical education. In addition, hospitals equipped with the most advanced facilities in the country have been built to treat various critical diseases. He said that Chief Minister, Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma has also mobilized the strength of society along with the government in carrying out these initiatives.

Shri Amit Shah said that once in Delhi he had told the late Ratan Tata that the long waiting list for cancer treatment at the cancer hospital of AIIMS was not a good situation for the country. He said that he had given Ratan Tata a list of 13 places in the country from where cancer patients travel to Delhi for their treatment. Shri Shah said that it is a matter of great satisfaction that the Tata Trust has rendered a major service to cancer patients by establishing cancer hospitals at all those 13 locations. He further said that no government hospital in the country currently has a facility for Proton Therapy, an extremely advanced and expensive treatment technology. However, Assam is set to become the first state in the country to provide Proton Therapy in a government hospital, with an investment of ₹400 crore. He said that under the double-engine government, Assam has become a major hub for critical healthcare services, including cancer treatment.

Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that it is very important for the country to have a comprehensive system of medical education, research and development, and to provide a platform where our children can conduct research on every kind of critical disease and serve patients not only in India but across the world. He said that today the Pragjyotishpur Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) has been inaugurated, which has been built at a cost of about ₹675 crore. Along with this, the Golaghat Cancer Centre built at a cost of ₹135 crore, the Tinsukia Cancer Centre built at a cost of ₹135 crore, the Diphu Medical College and Hospital built at a cost of ₹220 crore, the Barpeta Medical College and Hospital built at a cost of ₹284 crore, and the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital built at a cost of ₹310 crore have also been inaugurated. In addition, the foundation stone has been laid for the Six Mile Swasthya Bhavan at a cost of ₹218 crore and the Abhayapuri District Hospital at a cost of ₹115 crore. He said that through these initiatives, the Chief Minister has made a significant effort to make Assam a prosperous state in the healthcare sector in a single day. He added that even before completing his tenure, the Chief Minister has accomplished the task of making Assam self-reliant in the healthcare sector.

Shri Amit Shah said that Chief Minister Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma aims to make Assam a state where not a single patient has to go outside the state for treatment. At the same time, poor patients from Bengal and other Northeastern states should be able to come to Assam for treatment and return to their home states after receiving care. He said that efforts have been made to expand healthcare facilities for cancer and other diseases across every part of Assam, including Barak Valley, Upper Assam, Central Assam, and Lower Assam. He added that patients will no longer need to travel to Chennai, Mumbai, Karnataka, or Delhi, as they will be able to receive complete treatment at government hospitals near their homes. Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that the opposition party had once resolved to build a healthy Assam during its time in power. A former Prime Minister of India was also elected as a Member of Parliament from Assam, yet no significant improvement was made in the state’s healthcare system. Shri Shah said that today he can proudly state that the current government of his party has completed the task of making Assam self-reliant in the fields of healthcare and medical education. Under the current government, Assam’s health budget has been increased from ₹4,000 crore to ₹9,000 crore, and the funds have been spent effectively at the ground level. Shri Shah further said that earlier there were only six medical colleges in Assam; now the number has increased to fourteen, and ten more are planned. In total, Assam will have 24 medical colleges instead of six. Earlier there were 726 medical seats, but now there are already 1,825 seats across the 14 colleges.