PM Modi pays second visit to poll-bound Assam in fortnight; launches key road project

GUWAHATI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid his second visit in a fortnight to poll-bound Assam during which he reached out to the tea community besides recalling the developments across sectors, particularly healthcare, in the past four and a half years of BJP rule in the state.

Addressing a huge rally at Dhekiajuli in Sonitpur district, Modi also vowed to fulfill a dream of his to have medical colleges and technical institutes imparting education in Assamese, once the saffron party “comes to power again in the state”.

“The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) coming up (at Changsari on the outskirts of Guwahati) will be operational within two years, and already, the academic session of the first batch of MBBS students has started. AIIMS will transform the health scenario in not just Assam but the entire Northeast as well. Guwahati will become a hub of advanced medical care,” he said.

The Prime Minister also slammed the previous governments in the past seven decades, saying that only six medical colleges have been set up in Assam after Independence till 2016.

“However, over the past five years, work to set up another six medical colleges has started. But the earlier governments did not think about having an institute like AIIMS in Assam… They were so cut off from the people of Assam and Northeast that they did not understand the problems of people here,” Modi said.

Earlier, the Prime Minister launched the ambitious ‘Asom Mala’ project, which is set to improve 890km of state highways besides constructing and repairing major district roads across the state at a cost of ₹ 8210 crore.

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Modi also laid the foundation of two medical colleges in Biswanath and Charaideo districts to be constructed at a cost of ₹ 1,122 crore.

“Once all the (eight) medical colleges function, Assam will have 1600 new MBBS doctors every year,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the transformation India has seen over the years is being replicated in Assam as well.

“Today, Assam is rubbing shoulders with the other states of the country,” he said.

Reaching out to the tea community, the Prime Minister said that the progress of the tea workers reflected the progress of Assam.

“Welfare of tea workers is synonymous with Assam’s development, and I am happy that the state government has taken several measures to uplift the community through financial inclusion schemes and developments in other key sectors,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister however warned “some forces trying to tarnish the Assam tea industry’s image outside the country” saying that they will never be allowed to be successful in their intentions.

(Edited by Christopher Gatphoh)