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Cong deprived Jammu of 2004 AIIMS sanctioned by Vajpayee govt: Balbir

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 1/20/2019 5:03:19 PM

JAMMU, Jan 19: “Now seeing the general elections around the corner, the Congress leaders in the state have once again started shedding tears for Jammu region to mislead Jammuites and seek their votes. The fact is that Jammu was never considered at par with Kashmir in matters related to development and extension of welfare schemes by the Congress during its rule.”
This was stated by BJP state spokesperson Balbir Ram Rattan while asking Congress leaders to explain as to why the prestigious project of up-gradation of GMC, Jammu, to the level of AIIMS, was stalled
during Congress-led UPA government despite the fact that the foundation stone for the same was laid in 2004 by the then Union Health Minister Sushma Swaraj when BJP was in power at centre.
Elaborating on the issue, Balbir said that it was during BJP–led NDA government under Atal Behari Vajpayee that foundation stone for the upgradation of GMC to the level of AIIMS was laid as the Union
government had approved establishment of AIIMS in six states, including one for Jammu.
“Unfortunately with the change of power in 2004, Congress assumed chair and the project was stalled for the reasons best known to the Health Minister & Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad,” Balbir said and
added that the BJP government has now again gifted AIIMS to Jammu and that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi would lay its foundation stone in first week of February this year.
Balbir was reacting to the claim of Congress Chief G A Mir, who boasted of giving Super Specialty Hospital to Jammu while addressing a public rally in Reasi on Friday.
The BJP spokesperson said that before going to public the Congress leader must know that Super Speciality was setup by reducing the approved AIIMS for Jammu and that it was not a matter of pride for them but an act of betraying the Jammu region. He should also get himself acquainted with the fact that an institution of the level of AIIMS was having all the departments related to the health sector while Super Speciality focus just 3 to 4 specialities with limited infrastructure.