Sinha, Gangwar lay foundation stone of 100-bedded ESIC hospital
Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Union Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar on Monday laid the foundation stone of a 100-bedded Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Hospital in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir.
The hospital being constructed at a cost of Rs 160 crore would be equipped with modern healthcare facilities and will have OPD, IPD, ICU, wards, diagnostic laboratories, operation theatre, disaster management facilities, in addition to an independent sub-station, an official spokesman said.
He said surgery and psychiatric departments would be established in which specialist doctors and well-trained staff will be made available round the clock.
Among others, Lok Sabha member Farooq Abdullah, LG’s advisor Farooq Khan and Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam were present on the occasion.
Sinha said the occasion was yet another step to boost the healthcare infrastructure in J-K.
We are working to provide world-class health facilities at affordable prices to the people of UT. My aim is to strengthen the preventive, primary and secondary healthcare ecosystem in J-K,” the Lt Governor said.
He said the facilities in the hospital would be on the lines of those available in the hospital in Ahmedabad , and there is no cap placed on the expenses during the treatment so that needy people are benefitted.
“A time limit of two years has been set for completing this hospital at Ompora with 23 specialties. I want this hospital and the expansion of Bari Brahmana hospital to be completed in the next one and a half years so that health facilities like Delhi-Mumbai can be provided to the beneficiaries in J-K,” Singh added.
He said there has been a new wave of development across Jammu and Kashmir.
“I am constantly meeting people, communicating, and every person talks about new opportunities, progress, social and economic advancement,” he added.
The Lt Governor said that there are more than 6,000 factories and establishments in Jammu and Kashmir, under the ESI Act and about 1.33 lakh insured people and their dependents are given benefits in Jammu Branch Office and five other dispensary-branches at Kathua, Samba, Udhampur, Katra and Srinagar.
“Agreement has been made with many other super-specialty hospitals so that there is no lack of necessary health facilities,” he said.
Gangwar, speaking on the occasion, said the central government is very keen to ensure peace, prosperity and development in J-K.
He said the government has taken various milestone steps for the welfare and progress of labour class to uplift their socio-economic conditions.
By establishing labour courts and laws, workers have been provided a lot of relief, he added.
Regarding completion of construction work of the ESIC hospital at Budgam, the Union minister said the hospital will come up with the state of art medical facilities and cater to the medical needs of insured persons and beneficiaries in the catchment area. A 50-bedded ESIC Hospital at Bari Brahmana would be upgraded to100-bedded hospital for which additional land has been identified, he said.
Gangwar assured all possible support to the UT government for the welfare and prosperity of the people of J-K.
Later, cheques worth Rs 6.37 crore were distributed as financial assistance among 6,444 construction workers and beneficiaries of the self-employment scheme by the Lt Governor and the Union Minister, the spokesman said.
KV News
