Shimla: Unlike Punjab where a tussle between two ministers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet is on to locate the proposed Punjab AIIMS institute in their area of influence, the Himachal Pradesh government has zeroed down on a site in Bilaspur district, the home district of union health minister JP Nadda, with the state government now pushing the union government that early approval be granted for the proposed site.
State health minister Kaul Singh Thakur earlier in the day today, met JP Nadda at Delhi and impressed upon him that adequate land had been identified at Kothipura in Bilaspur district for setting up the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). 
Kaul Singh after thanking the minister for the approval of an AIIMS institute for Himachal Pradesh in the union budget asked him to depute a central team for a site visit so that a final site approval could be achieved at the earliest and work could begin once the budget is approved and funds are allocated.
Besides the AIIMS project, Kaul Singh also sought release of financial assistance from the Rs 313 crore Programme Implementation Scheme of which only Rs 261 crore had been released and the state was facing challenges in strengthening the health services. He requested for releasing the supplementary amount under this scheme so that impetus could be given to various health programmes in the State.
He also demanded for grant of administrative approval for the cancer centre at regional hospital at Mandi for which Rs.45 crore had been sanctioned.
He raised the issue of approving burn units at IGMC, Shimla, Nahan and Nalagarh hospitals besides advanced trauma centre at IGMC, Shimla. He urged the union minister for according approval for setting up of at least five trauma centres in other hospitals of the State.
The minister also requested for grant of Rs 10 crore each for the ongoing works of developing mother and child units at Kamla Nehru Hospital, Shimla and Regional Hospital, Mandi so that the construction work could be completed at the earliest.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
