Imphal: The government has taken a decision to construct super specialty health-care facilities in the four hill districts of Senapati, Ukhrul, Tamenglong, and Chandel at the earliest so that patients from far-flung villages do not have to travel to Imphal or other cities for treatment, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said Thursday.
Biren Singh was speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural function of the Tekru-Nge Celebration at Jessami Village, Ukhrul, on Thursday. The festival, celebrated under the theme “Walking through the Diversity and Richness of Jessami,” will continue till January 21.
The Chief Minister continued that, despite the lack of specialists in the hill districts, treatments for diseases requiring specialist doctors are conducted through Tele-ICU in the hill district hospitals. “We are also trying to increase the number of super specialist doctors,” the Chief Minister said, referring to the shortage of doctors in the State.
Biren Singh also highlighted the developmental changes witnessed in the state and said this has been made possible with the support and cooperation of the people. Peace in the state has brought development, the chief minister added.
Chief Minister Biren stressed the brotherly relations between the communities and spoke of the oneness of the people of the state. He also cautioned everyone not to distort history, claiming that history had now repeated itself and the people had been re-united.
Reiterating that the main vision for launching the Go To Hills and Go To Village schemes was to identify the necessities of the villages in the interior part of the state, Biren Singh said that following the launch of these schemes in the previous term, the government was able to identify the lack of infrastructure, including roads, schools, offices, and health facilities, in the interior parts.
Fortunately, during that short period in the last term, with the Prime Minister’s guidance, who assured budgetary support to the Minority and Other Backward Classes Department, around Rs. 1200 crore was invested in projects in the hill districts through the department, the Chief Minister said, highlighting the inauguration of the Model Residential School, LM Block, Ukhrul District, and Women’s Market in the hill districts. Similar model residential schools are being constructed at seven places, including Sadbhavna Mandaps, Women’s Markets, Oxygen Plants, Transit Accommodations, etc., in the hill districts, he said.
Biren Singh also said that the Prime Minister has asked all Chief Ministers to convey his gratitude to the people for their support and cooperation and to express that it was due to the public’s support that India is where it is today.
He asked the Deputy Commissioner to judiciously utilise the infrastructure inaugurated today, so that the public may reap the benefits of the new infrastructure.
The Chief Minister also promised to build additional SP and ADC offices as soon as possible and to look into the people’s memorandum, including making SBI branches operational to ease monetary transactions.
The Chief Minister asked the villagers to submit a report with proper geo-tagging and mapping through the DC for the development of a wildlife sanctuary at a nearby forest area that houses different faunas, including the Nongyin bird.
The inaugural function was also attended by ministers Khashim Vashum, H. Dingo, MLA Wangkhei AC, and Thangjam Arun Kumar, among others.
As part of the celebration, the Chief Minister also dedicated the Model Residential School, LM Block, Ukhrul, and Cave Tourism Project at Khangkhui Cave to the public and inaugurated a display of cultural and WWII-related items. A cultural programme was the highlight of the function.
