Shimla: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday laid the foundation stone of a 31 km long project for four laning of the National Highway from Pinjore to Nalagarh on NH-105, worth over Rs. 1690 crore. He also dedicated to the nation, AIIMS, Bilaspur. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of the Medical Device Park at Nalagarh, which will be built at a cost of about Rs 350 crore. He inaugurated the Government Hydro Engineering College at Bandla.

Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Modi said that Bilaspur has received a double gift of health and education. Remarking on the developments that have happened over the past years in Himachal Pradesh, he said that it is the vote of the people that are solely responsible for all the developments. He gave the credit to people's confidence in the state and the centre that has propelled all the development work.

He said that for a very long time the thinking was that facilities like education, roads, industries and hospitals are meant for big cities only. The people of Himachal Pradesh were forced to go to Chandigarh or Delhi for small issues. However, in the last eight years, the double-engine government changed all that. He said that today Himachal Pradesh is equipped with Central universities like IIT, IIM and IIIT.

Talking about the contribution of Himachal Pradesh to nation-building, the Prime Minister informed that the state plays a crucial role in 'Rashtra Raksha', and now with the newly inaugurated AIIMS at Bilaspur, it will also play pivotal role in 'Jeevan Raksha'. The Prime Minister complimented the Health Ministry and the state government for timely completion despite the challenge of the pandemic.

Highlighting the efforts of the government to ensure the ease of living for the poor and middle class, he remarked that efforts are being made to make hospitals available at remote locations and minimize the expenses of medical bills.  That is why we are working on a seamless connectivity from AIIMS to critical care in district hospitals and wellness centres in the villages. Ayushman Bharat scheme is providing most of the families in the state free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh. More than three crore patients all over the country and 1.5 lakh beneficiaries have come from Himachal.

He said that the foundations of the double-engine government are laid on providing happiness, accessibility, dignity, protection and health to our mothers, sisters and daughters. “Ensuring dignity of life for all is our government's priority,” he said. He listed measures like toilet construction, free gas connection, sanitary pad distribution scheme, Matru Vandana Yojana and Har Ghar Jal campaign for the empowerment of mothers and sisters.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the work of widening the roads of Himachal is also going on all around. “At present, about 50 thousand crore rupees are being spent on connectivity works in Himachal”, he added, “When the work of four laning of Pinjore to Nalagarh highway will be completed, then industrial areas of Nalagarh and Baddi will not only be benefitted but passengers going from Chandigarh and Ambala towards Bilaspur, Mandi and Manali will also get avail the benefits. /BI/