The Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (SMSIMSR) in Chikkaballapur on March 26th. The institute will provide medical education and quality medical care to all, completely free of cost. The institute is set to begin functioning in the academic year 2023.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister paid tribute to Sir M M Visvesvaraya, one of the architects of modern India, who was born in Chikballapur. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to visit his museum and samadhi, and said, “I bow my head before this virtuous land.” He emphasized that Chikballapur was the source of inspiration for Sir Visvesvaraya to come up with new innovations and develop new engineering projects for the farmers and the general populace.

The Prime Minister praised the mission being undertaken by the institution through education and health initiatives, calling Satya Sai Gram a wonderful model of service. He said that the inauguration of the medical college had further strengthened this mission. He highlighted the role of social and religious institutions in the journey of achieving ‘Viksit Bharat’ and praised the great tradition of saints, ashrams and mutts, which have been empowering the poor, dalits, backwards and adivasis.

He pointed out that there were less than 380 medical colleges in the country before 2014, but the numbers have gone up to more than 650 today. He underlined that 40 medical colleges have been developed in aspirational districts of the country that were once lagging behind in terms of development. In the last nine years, the Prime Minister mentioned that the number of medical seats in the country has doubled. He informed that the number of doctors produced by the country in the next 10 years will be the same as the number of doctors produced in India since the time of independence.

The Prime Minister informed that the state of Karnataka is home to roughly 70 medical colleges in the country and the medical college inaugurated in Chikballapur is an example of the efforts of the double engine government. He also informed about the decision taken to develop more than 150 nursing institutions in the country as part of this year’s Budget and said that it will create new opportunities for the youth in the nursing sector.

He lamented the past practice in politics where the poor were considered only as vote banks. “Our government has considered serving the poor as its highest duty. We have given priority to the health of the poor and middle class”, Shri Modi said. He gave the example of Jan Aushadhi Kendras or low-price medicine and informed that there are about 10,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras across the country today, out of which more than 1000 are located in Karnataka.

The Prime Minister also threw light on the past when the poor could not afford hospitals for treatment. He emphasized that the present government resolved this concern with the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, which has opened the doors of hospitals for poor families. Underlining that lakhs of people in Karnataka have also benefited from this scheme, the Prime Minister said, “The Government has guaranteed free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh to the poor.”

The PMemphasized the special attention given by the government towards breast cancer and informed that health and wellness centers are being opened in the villages and efforts are being made to screen such diseases in the early stages itself. He congratulated Bommai ji and his team for setting up more than 9,000 health and wellness centers in Karnataka.