NEW DELHI : Fulfilling key poll promises of Purvanchal region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday laid the foundation stone for two important projects in eastern Uttar Pradesh — revival of a long defunct fertilizer plant and an AIIMS (All India Institutes of Medical Sciences), both in Gorakhpur, nerve centre of the impoverished region.
The Union cabinet recently approved the two projects considered key to the economic, medical and agrarian development of the region.
750-bedded AIIMS
AIIMS has been a long felt demand of the region plagued by the deadly Japanese encephalitis — over 50,000 children are estimated to have fallen victim to it in the region in the last four decades, according to Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath.
The cost of the AIIMS, which would come under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), is projected at Rs. 1,011 crore.
The high-tech hospital will have a capacity of 750 beds, including emergency/trauma beds, AYUSH beds, private beds and ICU Speciality & Super Speciality beds.
It would also have an Administration Block, an AYUSH Block, Auditorium, night shelter, hostels and residential premises. The hospital is expected to benefit the entire Purvanchal — Gorakhpur, Azamgarh, Basti and Devi Patan divisions, comprising 14 districts of Uttar Pradesh — and five districts of western Bihar (West-Champaran, East-Champaran, Saran, Siwan, and Gopalganj).
Later, Mr. Modi adressed a rally in Gorakhpur, where he said: “Should AIIMS only be for Delhiwalas? People from east UP have to travel far to Delhi for medicine.”
Mr. Modi accused the Samajwadi Party government of not being interested in improving healthcare in the State. The Centre provided the State sufficient funds for health, but it was not interested in utilising the money as it was incapable of delivering better health to people, he said.
The Centre and the State government have been engaged in a verbal battle over credit for the AIIMS.
“The Centre has allocated Rs. 7000 crore for health in UP. But I am saddened to say that till date, they have only asked for Rs. 2,850 crore [Funds spent determine the release of new funds]. They don’t have time to take the rest of the money as they are incapable of working. You cannot get good health under this government,” Mr. Modi said.
Revival of fertilizer plant
The Prime Minister also spoke on the significance of the fertilizer plant, saying it would bring huge benefits to farmers in eastern Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring Bihar.
In an attack on the previous UPA government, Mr. Modi said it mindlessly imported urea even as fertilizer plants in east UP were shut and no attempt was made to revive them.
He said under his government, the cost of fertilizers had dipped for the first time in decades.
“It is natural to have a discussion on price rise in India but if prices are down there is hardly a murmur. Have you heard in the last so many years if the cost of fertilizers has decreased? This is the first government to have done so,” he claimed.
Mr. Modi hailed the two projects akin to bringing a “Second Green Revolution,” which would start from Eastern Uttar Pradesh abnd eastern parts of India.
“We decided we will give farmers as much urea as we can. But first, start the defunct fertilizer plants and all these are in Eastern UP and Bihar," he said.
Established in 1969, the fertilizer plant in Gorakhpur was shut for the last 26 years. It is estimated to run on gas fuel to produce up to 3,850 tonnes urea per day against its earlier capacity of around 950 tonne. It will be revived at a cost of Rs 6000 crore.
“The economy of this area will be gas-based economy. The plant will use the gas from the Jagdishpur-Haldia pipeline to produce urea. But the gas won’t be just for the plant, every home in Gorakhpur will avail it through pipelines,” Mr. Modi said.
Amid a ongoing controversy over Dalits, Mr. Modi remained silent on the contentious issues. He however, in a dig at the BSP and the SP, urged voters in East UP, to reject the “jativaad ka zeher(poison of casteism)” and “parivarvaad ka khel" (game of dynasty). “Only Vikaasvad (development) will do you good,” he said.
He said his government had taken steps to promote Purvanchal as a tourist hub by building its infrastructure.
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