By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 28 Mar: Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya will be on a tour of Uttarakhand on 30 and 31 March. During the two-day visit, the Union Health Minister will make a one-day stay at Malari village of Chamoli border district on 30 March. He will meet local people and public representatives under the Vibrant Village Programme and discuss contemporary issues. Apart from this, he will also establish a dialogue with ASHA workers in Malari.
On 31 March, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will lay the foundation stone of the critical care blocks approved for three districts of 50 beds, each, including the 500 bedded hospital of Doon Medical College in Dehradun. In view of the visit of the Union Health Minister and the laying of the foundation stone of various schemes, the officials of the health department and administration are busy finalising the programme.
State Health Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat stated today that, during the two-day tour, the Union Minister will reach Jolly Grant Airport at 7:30 a.m. on 30 March and, later, inspect the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendra at Canal Road, Jakhan. After this, the Union Minister will leave from GTC Helipad, Dehradun, for the Army Helipad at Malari, Chamoli and visit the ITBP Camp there. After this, the Minister will discuss various issues under the Vibrant Village Programme with the villagers and public representatives of Malari. He will review the Vibrant Village Programme with the officials of the district administration.
Dr Rawat added that the Union Health Minister will stay in Malari village on 30 March. He will also visit nearby Kailashpur, Gurguti, Bampa, Gamshali and Niti villages. He will also interact with ASHAs, who are considered to be the backbone of the health department, and discuss the health facilities in the border areas.
The Union Minister will return to Dehradun on 31 March, where he will lay the foundation stone of various schemes of the Health Department at the Chief Minister’s residence. These include the 500 bed capacity hospital of Doon Medical College and ECRP-2 and three critical care centres of 50 bed capacity, each, approved for the three districts Srinagar (Pauri), Rudraprayag and Nainital under the Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM).
What is the Vibrant Village Programme?
In view of the strategic importance of the country’s northern border, the Vibrant Village Programme has been started by the Government of India, which will run from the financial year 2022-23 to 2025-26. For this, a provision of Rs 4800 crores has been made by the Government of India, out of which Rs 2500 crores will be spent on the construction of roads. This programme will strengthen livelihood opportunities and infrastructure in 19 districts and 46 border blocks of four states and one union territory. As many as 663 villages have been covered in the first phase of the programme, which will ensure inclusive development in the northern border region. This programme will provide quality opportunities to the people living here. The objective of the scheme is to identify and develop economic drivers based on local, natural and other resources in border villages and to empower youth and women through social entrepreneurship promotion, skill development and entrepreneurship.
