Chikkaballapur (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (SMSIMSR) at Chikkaballapur on Saturday.

SMSIMSR will provide medical education and quality medical care – completely free of cost – to all. The institute will start functioning in the academic year 2023.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister noted that Chikballapur is the birthplace of one of the architects of modern India, Sir M M Visvesvaraya and expressed gratitude for getting the opportunity to pay tribute to his samadhi and visit his museum.

“I bow my head before this virtuous land”, the Prime Minister said.

He emphasized that it was the land of Chikballapur that was the source of inspiration for Sir Visvesvaraya to come up with new innovations and develop new engineering projects for the farmers and the general populace.

The Prime Minister called Satya Sai Gram a wonderful model of service. He lauded the mission undertaken by the institution through education and health initiatives.

“Today’s inauguration of the medical college has further strengthened this mission,” he said.

The Prime Minister referred to the nation’s resolution to be a developed nation during the Amrit Kaal and people’s curiosity about accomplishing the task in the given time.

“There is just one answer, a strong, resolute and resourceful answer i.e Sabka Prayas. This is going to be surely realized by the effort of every countryman,” PM Modi said.

He highlighted the role of social and religious institutions in the journey of achieving ‘Viksit Bharat’ and the great tradition of saints, ashrams and mutts.

These social and religious bodies, along with faith and spiritual aspects, have been empowering the poor, Dalits, backwards and Adivasis.

“Work done by your institute strengthens the spirit of ‘Sabka Prayas’,” the Prime Minister said.

PM Modi elaborated upon the motto of Sri Satya Sai University ‘Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam’ meaning expertise in the action is yoga.

He pointed out that there were less than 380 medical colleges in the country before 2014 and the number has gone up to more than 650 today.

He also underlined that 40 medical colleges have been developed in aspirational districts of the country that were once lagging behind in terms of development.

In the last nine years, the Prime Minister mentioned that the number of medical seats in the country has doubled.

He noted that the number of doctors produced by the country in the next 10 years will be the same as the number of doctors produced in India since the time of independence.

Noting that Karnataka is also reaping the benefits of the development carried out in the country, the Prime Minister informed that the state is home to roughly 70 medical colleges in the country and the medical college inaugurated in Chikballapur is an example of the efforts of the double engine government.

He informed about the decision taken to develop more than 150 nursing institutions in the country as part of this year’s Budget and said that it will create new opportunities for the youth in the nursing sector.

The Prime Minister mentioned the language challenge in medical education and lamented that insufficient efforts were made in the past to promote local languages in medical education.

“These political parties were not willing to see youth from villages and backward places find a place in the medical and engineering professions. Our government works for the welfare of the poor. It has given an option of medical education in all Indian languages including Kannada,” he said.

The Prime Minister lamented the practice in politics of considering the poor “only as vote banks”.

“Our government has considered serving the poor as its highest duty. We have given priority to the health of the poor and middle class”, PM Modi said.

He gave the example of Jan Aushadhi Kendras or low-price medicine and informed that there are about 10,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras across the country today, out of which more than 1000 are located in Karnataka.

“Such an initiative has allowed the poor to save thousands of crores of rupees on medicines,” PM Modi added.

The Prime Minister also threw light on the past when the poor could not afford the hospitals for treatment.

He emphasized that the present government took notice of the concern of the poor and resolved it with the Ayushman Bharat Yojana which has opened the doors of hospitals for poor families.

He said lakhs of people in Karnataka have also benefited from this scheme. “The Government has guaranteed free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh to the poor.”

PM Modi gave examples of expensive surgery procedures such as heart surgery, knee replacement, and dialysis and pointed out that the government has taken all necessary steps to reduce the expensive fees.

“We are giving top priority to mothers and sisters in health-related policies”, the Prime Minister remarked.

Noting that the health of the whole generation improves when the health and nutrition of mothers improve, the Prime Minister said the government is giving special emphasis towards this and gave the example of schemes to build toilets, provide free gas connections, tap water to every household, free sanitary pads and send money directly to the bank for nutritious food.

He underlined the special attention given by the government towards breast cancer and informed that health and wellness centres are being opened in the villages and efforts are being made to screen such diseases at early stage itself.

PM Modi congratulated CM Bommai and his team for setting up more than 9,000 health and wellness centres in the state.

He also praised the Karnataka government for strengthening and empowering ANM and ASHA workers.

He informed that 50 ,000 ANM and ASHA workers and about 1 lakh registered nurses and health workers of Karnataka received modern gadgets and the double-engine government is trying to provide them with all possible facilities.

“Along with health, the double-engine government is paying full attention to the economic empowerment of women,” he said.

Describing Karnataka as a land of milk and silk, the Prime Minister informed about the Kisan Credit Card for cattle rearing farmers, a massive vaccination drive for cattle with an expense of Rs 12,000 crore.

“It is also the effort of the double-engine government to increase the participation of women in dairy co-operatives. Self-help groups of women in the villages are also being empowered,” PM Modi said.

“When the country is healthy and ‘Sabka Prayas’ is devoted to the development, then we will achieve the goal of a developed India faster,” he added.

The Prime Minister also recalled his long association with Bhagwan Sai Baba and the Sansthan.

“I am not a guest here, I am part of this place and land. Every time I come amidst you the bond gets renewed and the desire for stronger ties emerges in the heart.”

Karnataka Chief Minister Basvaraj Bommai, Chairman of Sri Satya Sai Sanjeevani Center for Child Heart Care, Dr C Srinivas, and Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai were among those present. (ANI)