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Dear CM, where is fund for AIIMS in Tripura ? Stop FAKE promises, Modi's 13 AIIMS within 48 months turned JUMLA
Sanjay Majumder
Dear CM, where is fund for AIIMS in Tripura ? Stop FAKE promises, Modi's 13 AIIMS within 48 months turned JUMLA
PHOTO : TIWN File Photo : CM Biplab Deb with officials inspecting probable land for proposed AIIMS Agartala

Too many FAKE promises to fool masses to grab votes turned a political skill set for wily politicians. Biplab Deb led BJP Govt yet to show any clear financial picture on various ‘Pre-Poll vision’ promises but already started alluring public via new promises before 2019 Lok Sabha Election. Without any fund allocation from Centre, only by pitching for AIIMS certainly raise the doubt whether it is latest FAKE promise like other Pre-Election FAKE promises giving free Mobile phones to all youths or providing Jobs to each Tripura household ?

Because Narendra Modi led BJP in its Pre-Poll manifesto in 2014 had promised to "increase the number of medical and paramedical colleges to make India self-sufficient in human resources, and set up an AIIMS like institute in every state. So BJP announced 13 AIIMS to be completed within 48 months after coming to power. 48 months later, all of them exist only on papers”.

To find out the status of these 13 AIIMS supposed to be completed within 48 months ater 2014, News Media ‘India Today’ filed a Right to Information (RTI) query with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The response to RTI revealed that no funds have yet been allocated even after 4 years to five of the approved 13 AIIMS by the Modi government.

Moreover, no funds have been released to four of the approved AIIMS which are proposed in Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat.

Here is what the Union Ministry's response to India Today's RTI reveal:

(Even after 4 years in 2017 ) No funds have been allocated to five of the approved AIIMS yet. They are situated in Jammu, Kashmir, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat.

No time frame has been fixed by the cabinet for five AIIMS which are in Jammu, Kashmir, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.

Less than 10 per cent of the sanctioned fund has been given to the AIIMs in Uttar Pradesh which is expected to be functional by March 2020.

BJP in its manifesto in 2014 had promised to "increase the number of medical and paramedical colleges to make India self-sufficient in human resources, and set up an AIIMS like institute in every state."

Here's a reality check:

1. Status of AIIMS Uttar Pradesh

The site finalised for the project is in CM Yogi Adityanath's home turf Gorakhpur. The project was approved at a cost of Rs 1,011 crore but so far only Rs 98.34 crore has been released. It has to be completed by March 2020. With less than 10 per cent of funding so far, its completion in the next 21 months looks very unlikely.

2. Status of AIIMS Andhra Pradesh

The approved cost of the project was Rs 1,618 crore but so far only Rs 233.88 crore has been released. The time limit for its completion is October 2020, which again clearly suggests that meeting the target is close to impossible.

3. Status of AIIMS West Bengal

A site has been finalised at Kalyani. The project was approved at a cost of Rs 1,754 crore however, only Rs 278.42 crore has been released. There is a deadline for October 2020 and it can completed only if work proceeds at a very fast pace.

4. Status of AIIMS Maharashtra

The deadline for a AIIMS in Nagpur is again October 2020 but out of Rs 1,577 crore that were approved only Rs 231.29 crore have been released.

5. Status of AIIMS Assam

The approved cost for this project at Jalah village in Mouza Sila Sindhuri Ghopa in Kamrup district is Rs 1,123 crore. So far, only Rs 5 crore has been released but the deadline remains April 2021.

6. Status of AIIMS Punjab

It is supposed to come up in Bathinda and the project was approved for Rs 925 crore. As of now, only a mere Rs 36.57 crore has been released. The deadline for its completion is June 2020.

7. Status of AIIMS Jammu and Kashmir

The site for Jammu region was finalised at Vijaypur in Samba district, and for the Kashmir division the site was finalised at Awantipora in Pulwama district. So far, no money has been allocated. But interestingly, Rs 90.84 crore has been released. No deadline has been fixed for it.

8. Status of AIIMS Himachal Pradesh

The site finalised for this project is in Bilaspur. The total cost approved for it is Rs 1,350 crore. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the project on October 3, 2017. However, no funds have been released with the deadline being December 2021.

9. Status of AIIMS Bihar

The project was proposed in the 2015-16 Union Budge. However, in the last three years neither the site has been finalised nor the funds have been allocated.

10. Status of AIIMS Tamil Nadu

Thopur in Madurai has been chosen as the site but no funds have been allocated and there is no deadline.

11. Status of AIIMS Jharkhand

The site identified for the project is at Deogarh. The approved total cost for the project is Rs 1103 crore out of which only Rs 9 crore has been released so far. It has to be completed by 2021.

12. Status of AIIMS Gujarat

No status given for the 13th AIIMS 

Like Bihar, Tamil Nadu, this too neither has a site nor funds. Obviously, there is no deadline.

Status : Modi Govt's promise of building 13 AIIMS within 48 months 

BJP’s 10 promises in Pre-Election Vision Document released 1 week before Feb 18,2018 Tripura Assembly Poll:

1. Employment opportunity for every household

2. Free Education for women till graduation

3. 7th Pay Commission to the all Govt employees of the State Govt

4. Free Smart Phones to Youths

5. Minimum allowance of Rs. 2000 and a minimum wage of Rs. 340

6. Investigate Rose Valley Chit Fund scams and punish all the guilty

7. Provide house to all without brick housing

8. Free Health Insurance to all BJP households

9. Provide drinking water to all households

10. Regularize contractual Govt employees

On July 18, 2018 Tripura CM Biplab Deb said at Bodhjungnagar, Agartala that, “The All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has been the much awaiting dream for Tripura, which has got partial approval by the Central Govt. It was our pre-poll promise that AIIMS hospital will be built in Tripura. However, the Health Dept has asked for 200 acre land for it”.

“The hospital should be near to the Airport and I think this is the ideal location for it. It’s near to Khumlwng (ADC Headquarter) and also within 15 km from the Airport set beside Agartala city’s main stream. Total 265 acre land is here which belong to Govt”, CM said.

“Once it is established, people of Tripura will get a relief from running to Chennai, West Bengal, Delhi like places for treatment as inside the state they will get best service”, CM told media.

TIWN requests Chief Minister Biplab Deb to prove his AIIMS claims by furnishing financial approval data from Central Govt  and Project implementation timeline- otherwise 37 lakhs people of Tripura have valid reasons to believe that all these are FAKE promises like Modi promised to build 13 AIIMS within 48 months after 2014 Lok Sabha Election.

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