india

Updated: Jul 17, 2019 08:35 IST

Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has sought a detailed proposal from Punjab for dedicating the second All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the state to Guru Nanak Dev as nation celebrates his 550th birth anniversary.

Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh raised the issue during his meeting here with Dr Vardhan. He said he had, in separate letters to the Union health and finance ministers, written to seek the Centre’s permission to dedicate the second AIIMS in Punjab to this special occasion.

Amarinder pointed out that the finance minister had assured him that the matter will be looked into after the release of the Union budget.

The first AIIMS is already coming up in Bathinda and the state has proposed the second one either in Ludhiana or Jalandhar. Talking to mediapersons after his meeting, Amarinder said the Rs 250 crore PIMS Jalandhar building could be used for this purpose. He also stated that all clearance for the AIIMS Bathinda project had been given by the state government.

The Chief Minister said that Dr Vardhan had said he would consider the demand after receiving a formal proposal.

The CM also sought approval for PGI satellite centre at Ferozepur. The state government has transferred land to PGI but the file is pending approval by the Union health ministry.

Ferozepur is a border district and one of the 120 backward aspirational districts selected by NITI AAYOG for development, the Chief Minister pointed out.