Health Minister chairs high-level meeting, reviews progress on establishment of two AIIMS in JK

JAMMU, NOVEMBER 15: Minister for Health & Medical Education, Bali Bhagat today reviewed the progress on the establishment of two AIIMS sanctioned by the Government of India to be set up at Awantipora in Kashmir and Vijaypur in Jammu at a high-level meeting here today.

          Principal Secretary Home, R.K. Goyal, Principal Secretary Health & Medical Education, Pawan Kotwal, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Mandeep K. Bhandari, Deputy Commissioner, Samba, Sheetal Nanda, Director Finance, H&ME, Mohammad Rafiq, Joint Director Planning, H&ME, Madan Lal and representatives of forest and other related agencies attended the meeting.

          The Minister took detailed appraisal of the progress and activities related to the establishment of AIIMS institutes to come out at an estimated cost of Rs. 2000 crore each. The issues which prominently figured in the discussion included acquisition of land, construction of approach roads leading to the sites, creation of water, electricity and other allied infrastructure by the State Government. The Minister called upon the concerned agencies to adopt a coordinated approach to remove all bottlenecks to pave way for early start of constructional activities.

          The concerned officers gave detailed account of the activities and progress achieved till date. They informed that most of the issues have been addressed and only some petty local issues are pending which will be resolved at the earliest. The concerned officers assured to handover the possession of land along with necessary requisite facilities at both sites to the executing agency to start the constructional activities.