MoHFW team visits Rajkot to identify site for proposed AIIMS

The expert team is being led by Dr Shakti Kumar Gupta, superintendent of Dr PR Centre for Opthalmic Sciences at AIIMS, New Delhi. Dr Gupta is also appointed inspector for post graduate courses in the discipline of hospital administration. Sanjeev Chadha, director of Pradhan Mantri Swashtya Suraksha Yojya (PMSSY), Rajeev Kanaujia, a senior architect with the MoHFW and RK Joshi, superintending engineer with AIIMS, Jodhpur are the other members of the team.

Besides top officers of Rajkot district administration, dean of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Medical College, Rajkot, Dr Manish Mehta and medical superintendent senior representatives from Civil Hospital, Rajkot Dr DJ Vatsraj accompanied the team.

“Primarily, the team is checking if basic amenities like water, electricity and road connectivity can be easily made available at the site. The team will also hold a meeting with top district officers and other stake holders to discuss other technical issues,” DJ Patel, sub-divisional magistrate of Rajkot rural), who was with the team, division told The Indian Express.

The expert team has landed in Rajkot after completing its tour to Vadodra, the city in central Gujarat which the state government has identified as the alternate city to host the proposed premier medical care institute of the country. Presently, there are AIIMS in New Delhi, Bhopal, Jodhpur, Patna, Bhubaneswar, Raipur and Rishikesh.

While presenting the budget for 2014-15, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced to build AIIMS in every state of the country. Gujarat government has identified Rajkot and Vadodara as the cities for the proposed project. Rajkot district administration has earmarked 200 acres of land near Khirasara Palace and Khanderi for the proposed AIIMS.