Referring to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 that promotes technical courses in mother tongue, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah announced that from October 16 this year, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Vishwavidyalaya in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, will offer MBBS in Hindi.
At the foundation stone laying ceremony of the new campus of Gujarat Technological University (GTU) in Lekawada of Gandhinagar on Tuesday, Shah said, “The NEP has encouraged mother language as when a student thinks in his mother tongue, he can understand and research better. Some people might find this strange but I want to reiterate that when students think, talk and study in their mother tongue, he can research better unlike rote learning. That is the reason from October 16, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Vishwavidyalaya will offer complete first semester of MBBS course in Hindi.”
On the second day of his two-day visit to Gujarat on Tuesday, Shah took part in the foundation stone laying of the 750-bed Adarsh Multispeciality Hospital at Kalol, inauguration of an underpass in Gandhinagar built by the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation at a cost of Rs 34.74 crore, foundation stone laying of a martyr memorial and library in Samou village in Mansa taluka of Gandhinagar district. He also visited temples in Rupal and Bahucharaji in Mansa, both in Gandhinagar district.
Listing out benefits of the NEP, Shah said, “The National Education Policy is not just a book, but a library… Priority has been given to Indian language, art and culture. Modi ji has taken the initiative to improve the standard of living of people through technology,” he added.
Talking about the Indian economy, Shah said when Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, India’s economy was number 11 in the world, while now it is the fifth largest economy in the world.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said that earlier, Gujarat youths had to go to other states to study engineering or medicine by paying high fees. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reversed this situation and 102 universities are now functional in the state, he said.
Addressing a gathering in Kalol town in Gandhinagar district, Shah said the healthcare scenario improved after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014.
“Under the Ayushman Bharat or PM-JAY scheme, 60 crore poor citizens are now getting free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh. In addition, PM Modi has also allocated Rs 64,000 crore to set up the required health infrastructure to implement that scheme. 35,000 new beds were added in hospitals across 600 districts under this scheme,” said Shah.
Earlier, Shah laid the foundation stone of 750-bed Adarsh Multispeciality Hospital established by the Umiya Mata Kadva Patidar Education and Samaj Seva Trust at Kalol in his constituency, Gandhinagar.
“What is the meaning of such infrastructure if there are no doctors in hospitals? During the Congress rule, leaders were busy making money in the name of improving medical education facilities. It was PM Modi who improved this scenario after assuming the office,” the Gandhinagar MP said.
The minister also laid the foundation stone of an ESIC hospital at Kalol — which would upgrade the present 50-bed dilapidated hospital to 150-bed revamped hospital.
Shah also asked Dr Atul Patel, founding member of the hospital and ex-MLA of Kalol, to “take advantage” of Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya’s presence at the event and expedite and push for the establishment of a medical college along with the trust-run hospital.
“Today Mansukh Mandaviya has come, should we take advantage of it or not? 750-beds will be made and with some increase in amenities, you can apply and as per provisions, Mansukhbhai will quickly arrange and approve for a medical college (with the hospital). Then Kalol’s kids will get its benefits…It is my appeal and request (to Dr Atul Patel) that not just a hospital, but to also prepare a (medical) college so that our kids can study here and serve in their own village,” Shah said.
He added that in the next two years “Kalol will have nearly 850-bed facilities” with the foundation stone laid for the two hospitals.
Emphasising on the health needs of the working population, Shah said, “Sanand, where nearly 1.30 lakh people work at one place, the only health facility is a PHC with 10 beds. Yesterday we laid the foundation stone for a 350-bed ESIC hospital there. In two days, we have laid down the foundation stone of 500 beds of ESIC hospitals.”
Also present at the event were Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Labour Minister and BJP’s Gujarat incharge Bhupendra Yadav, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, and former Lok Sabha MP from Mehsana Dr AK Patel.
Later in the evening, Shah chaired a meeting at BJP headquarter Kamalam in Gandhinagar that was attended by leaders, including party state president CR Paatil, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and party state general secretary Pradipsinh Vaghela.
In addition to deliberations on assembly elections, discussions were held on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Gujarat on September 29 and 30.
Courtesy: The Indian Express