PM Modi to inaugurate AIIMS Guwahati, projects worth Rs. 14,300 crore in Assam on Friday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the state of Assam on April 14 to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of developmental projects worth around Rs. 14,300 crores. The projects will primarily focus on healthcare, infrastructure and culture including the inauguration of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Guwahati.

The prime minister is expected in Assam around noon on Friday. He will inspect the new building and thereafter inaugurate the facility along with three other medical colleges at a public function. Within the healthcare sector, Modi will also lay the foundation stone of the Assam Advanced Healthcare Innovation Institute (AAHII) and launch the "Aapke Dwar Ayushman" campaign.

Modi will attend the platinum jubilee celebration of the Guwahati High Court around 2 pm to mark its 70th anniversary. In the evening, the prime minister will attend a Bihu dance performance and lay the foundation stone of many infrastructure projects.

The operationalization of AIIMS Guwahati will be one of the key highlights of Modi's visit. The prime minister first laid the foundation stone of the institute on May 26, 2017. It was built at a cost of more than Rs 1,120 crores.

The hospital is a "state-of-the-art" facility with a capacity of 750 beds, including 30 AYUSH beds, according to a press release. It will provide world-class health facilities to the people of the Northeast, the Press Information Bureau claims.

Additionally, the hospital will have an annual intake capacity of 100 MBBS students.

Apart from AIIMS Guwahati, Prime Minister Modi will also dedicate three medical colleges to the nation: the Nalbari Medical College, Nagaon Medical College and Kokrajhar Medical College. These have been built at a cost of Rs 1,750 crores in total.

Each medical college will have an annual intake capacity of 100 MBBS students, along with attached 500 bedded teaching hospitals with OPD/IPD services, emergency services, ICU facilities, operation theatres and diagnostic facilities.

The prime minister will also launch the "Aapke Dwar Ayushman" campaign, which aims to ensure total saturation of welfare schemes.

During the launch, Modi will distribute Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) cards to three representative beneficiaries. This will be followed by the distribution of approximately 11 million AB-PMJAY cards in all districts of Assam.

Another significant project to be inaugurated by the prime minister is the Assam Advanced Healthcare Innovation Institute (AAHII), which will be built at a cost of around Rs. 546 crore.

The AAHII is envisioned as a step towards realising Modi's vision of ‘Atmnirbhar Bharat’ and 'Make in India' in the areas related to health.

The institute will facilitate cutting-edge inventions and R&D in medicine and healthcare, identify the nation's unique problems related to health and promote the development of new technologies to solve those problems.

While in Assam on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also attend the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Guwahati High Court's 70th anniversary.

There, he will launch a mobile application called "Assam Cop" designed by the Assam Police which facilitates searches of accused individuals and vehicles from the database of the Crime and Criminal Network Tracking System (CCTNS) and the VAHAN national register.

Established in 1948, the Guwahati High Court served as the common court for seven Northeastern states including Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh until March 2013.

The court now has jurisdiction over Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh with its principal seat in Guwahati and three permanent benches in Kohima (Nagaland), Aizwal (Mizoram) and Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh).

During his visit, the prime minister will also lay the foundation stone of a bridge on the Brahmaputra river, connecting Palashbari and Sualkuchi. The bridge is a critical infrastructure project for Assam as it will provide much-needed connectivity in the Northeast region.

Furthermore, he will lay the foundation stone for the beautification of Rang Ghar in Sivasagar, a historical monument that depicts Ahom cultures and traditions. Built back in the 18th century, the monument will be adorned by a fountain show and artisan village to promote local handicrafts. A boat house and jetty will also be erected to facilitate boat rides.

Additionally, Modi will commission a 500 TPD Methanol plant at Namrup in Dibrugarh and inaugurate five railway projects including the doubling and electrification of various sections.

The railway projects include the inauguration of Digaru—Lumding, Gauripur—Abhayapuri and Senchoa—Mairabari, the doubling of New Bongaigaon—Dhup Dhara, and the electrification of Raninagar Jalpaiguri—Guwahati and Senchoa—Silghat Town.

The prime minister will also attend a mega Bihu dance event featuring more than 10,000 performers at the Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati. The dancers are attempting to set a new Guinness World Record in the category of the largest Bihu dance performance in the world in a single venue. Artists from 31 districts of Assam will be featured.