JP Nadda, Akhilesh Yadav lay foundation for Medical College in Shahjahanpur

Union Health Minister JP Nadda sought the help of the Uttar Pradesh government in making the state “healthy”.

“If the state government supports us, we will make Uttar Pradesh a healthy state,” he said in the presence of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

The two leaders laid the foundation stone of a government medical college to be set up here at a cost of Rs 200 crore.

Nadda said that along with state capital Lucknow, care centres are being set up in Unnao, Amethi, Aligarh and other districts at a cost of Rs 46 crore.

Akhilesh said with the new medical college, the number of MBBS seats will go up which will take care of the problem of shortage of doctors in the state.

He added that with the Centre’s help, six new medical colleges are being set up in the state which will double the number of MBBS seats.

Akhilesh recalled that an AIIMS was sanctioned for UP during the previous political regime but the Mayawati government could not provide land for the project.

“When we came to power, we provided land for AIIMS in Rae Bareli and now I, together with Nadddaji, want to lay the foundation of another AIIMS in Gorakhpur,” he said.

Akhilesh said that earlier, he had decided that every MLA will get a vehicle through their development funds but later, he changed his decision and asked them to give money for treatment of the poor from their funds.

Later, talking to reporters, he attacked BJP for “vitiating the communal atmosphere” of the state and accused Mayawati’s BSP of being “hand-in-glove” with the saffron party.