India News | Sonowal Thanks PM for Taking Initiative to Set Up AIIMS in Guwahati

Guwahati, Jan 12 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan for taking the initiative to set up a world-class health institute like the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Guwahati.

The chief minister, participating in the inaugural function of the academic programme of the first batch of MBBS students in AIIMS Guwahati, said that the starting of the academic session on National Youth Day, which is Swami Vivekananda's birthday, is a welcome development.

Sonowal highlighted the prime minister's effort to turn the North East region into a new engine of growth for the country and asserted that these efforts have resulted in the rapid development of the state and region in the last six years.

He also appreciated the hard work of state Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in bringing the idea of an AIIMS in Assam to fulfilment and this was the success of the joint effort of both central and state governments.

Sonowal urged the students from various parts of the country admitted to the first batch of MBBS in AIIMS Guwahati to strive for making the prime minister's vision of "ek bharat shresth bharat" a reality.

The chief minister asserted that India's youth population holds immense potential for propelling the country into the top echelons of world order.

He also referred to Assam's success in the fight against coronavirus and thanked the health department and other agencies for their exemplary performance.

The Union Health Minister, addressing the students, virtually, asked them to work with sincerity, dedication and hard work to become good doctors so that they can provide service to the society in future.

Sarma also thanked the prime minister for taking the historic initiative of setting up of AIIMS in the state when he laid the foundation stone of the premier institute on May 26, 2017 and conducted bhumi pujan at Changsari on February 9, 2019 while allocating Rs 150 crore for the project.

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey said that the pandemic had delayed the construction work of AIIMS but it would be completed by the first half of 2022 and dedicated to the people.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)