Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 3: Seeking personal intervention of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to satiate the urges and aspirations of people of both the regions of Jammu and Kashmir, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad today demanded one additional AIIMS for Jammu and an IIM and IIT for Kashmir valley.
In a letter written to the Prime Minister, Mr Azad said, “your Government has decided to establish AIIMS in Kashmir valley and IIT and IIM in Jammu. These are welcome decisions and have been widely hailed as the importance of such outstanding institutions is well recognized”, adding “we will be able to create outstanding technical manpower, which will contribute in the growth and development of the State as well as country”.
However, J&K has two capitals—Jammu and Srinagar and there is a practice of giving equal treatment to both the State capitals when it comes to setting up of institutions or creation of infrastructure, Mr Azad said, adding the establishment of two Central Universities or two State Cancer Institutes are a few such live examples of parity maintained between the two regions during UPA period.
Stating that J&K by virtue of having two capitals is a unique State and cannot be compared with any other State of the country, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said, “geographical conditions, challenging terrain and extreme weather conditions also make the free movement of people from one region to another throughout the year very prohibitive”.
“This necessitates of having similar facilities in healthcare and education in both the parts of the state for the convenience of the people”, Mr Azad stressed, adding “it is a fact that tertiary care facilities are not available to the desired extent in the State and people generally have to travel out of the State for accessing such facilities. In this context, the decision to set up AIIMS in Kashmir is welcome and refreshing”.
However, keeping in view the aspirations and demands of the people of Jammu, it will be appropriate to set up one additional AIIMS at Jammu so that people of Jammu region will also avail of tertiary healthcare facilities unhindered and interrupted throughout the year, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and former Chief Minister of J&K said, adding “I would like to emphasize that it is also desirable to set up IIT and IIM in Kashmir as well”.
“Keeping in view the overall political scenario of the State, geographical and climatic conditions, I would seek your personal indulgence to address the issue in an equitable and just manner by way of sanctioning one additional AIIMS for Jammu and an IIM and IIT for Kashmir”, Mr Azad said, adding “this will satiate the urges and aspirations of the people of both the regions of the State and put to rest all the speculation about neglect and discrimination”.
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