GUWAHATI: Union home minister Amit Shah will launch a slew of projects during his Assam visit on May 10 to mark one year of the present BJP-led government, including a 300-bed super-speciality hospital under Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH).
Health department officials said the initiative will be a stepping stone to turn Assam into a health hub of South Asia after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated seven cancer hospitals in various districts of Assam last week.
Sources in the state health department said the new wing of GMCH will have a cardiothoracic and neuroscience centre (CNC) where four departments — cardiology, cardiothoracic, neurology and neurosurgery — have been set up.
“On May 10 morning, the President of India is going to bestow a rare honour on Assam police, the President’s Colours award. He (Shah) will also attend the event,” said Sarma.
The CNC has been built at a cost of Rs 200 crore and has been mostly borne by the state government, but also received financial assistance from the Centre. “There was a need for better facilities for these four departments where a large number of patients come for treatment frequently,” the official added.
Sarma said work on the new deputy commissioner’s and police commissioner’s office buildings in Guwahati will also be inaugurated by Shah. He will address a mammoth rally in Guwahati on the occasion.
Sarma said work on the national forensic institute, Guwahati, will also be inaugurated by Shah. Simultaneously, Sarma said work on the new police reserve in Guwahati will also begin, along with an auditorium in the city where over 3,000 people can be accommodated.
While the state government has its own plans to commemorate one year of installation in power with the launch of mega projects, the ruling BJP is also taking Shah’s visit as an opportunity to further strengthen its base ahead of next year’s panchayat election and 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“We are planning to start a fresh membership drive in Assam later this year to achieve a goal of around 50 lakh BJP members in Assam. Besides peace and development, making Assam flood-free is our goal,” BJP national general secretary Dilip Saikia said.
