PALAMPUR: Mr. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Ministerial candidate of BJP today said that if BJP was voted to power it would complete the Vivekananda Medical College and Research Institute on top priority. He said BJP was committed to the over all development of the state and would provide quality health services in every corner of the state.
Speaking to media persons Mr. Dhumal said there would have been an AIIMS standard hospital at Palampur if Chief Minister Vir Bhadara Singh had not created obstacles , when he refused to send his consent to the Vajpayee government in the year 2003. He said union government was ready to convert the VMRT into an AIIMS like hospital at Palampur and the then Union Health Minister Mrs. Sushma Swaraj had written a letter to Chief Minister Vir Bhadara Singh in this regard seeking the consent of state government for this project.
Prem Kumar Dhumal said union government was ready to provide Rs. 3000 crore for this project but Chief Minister created hurdles and refused to give his consent. He said whatever he had stated it was on record. Mr. Shanta Kumar who was Union Minister for Rural Development in the center personally met the Chief Minister and requested him to endorse his consent to this project which was for the welfare of the public in the lower areas of the state. He turned down his request.
Prem Kumar Dhumal said because of non cooperative attitude of Chief Minister Vir Bhadara Singh, state lost a big hospital project worth crores of rupees. He said Vajpayee government had opened six AIIMS pattern hospitals in the country during its tenure which were fully funded by the union government and the seventh one was to be set up at Palampur. He said because of personal gains congress government sacrificed the interests of the state.
Mr. Prem Kumar Dhumal strongly criticized the recent statement of Vir Bhadara Singh threatening to take over the VMRT if congress was voted to power. He said that situation would never come and people of the state had made up their mind to reject the congress in ensuing assembly elections.
He said VMRT is public trust and the same is functioning at per norms laid down under Indian Trust Act, it is providing best naturopathy care to the people of the country. He asked the Chief Minister first visit the institution then comments on it. He regretted that Chief Minister was unnecessarily dragging the VMRT in politics.
File photo of Mr. Dhumal at Rampur, by Yash Raj.
A senior journalist from Palampur.
