Ahead of Budget, Jalandhar, Ludhiana vie for second AIIMS

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 3

Just ahead of the announcement of Union Budget, a war of words has begun between residents of Jalandhar and Ludhiana over choosing the location for setting up of the proposed second AIIMS in Punjab.

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, after his recent meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, had said he had requested her to allocate funds for the new AIIMS dedicated to the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.

While the CM proposed that either of the two districts could be considered for the proposal, NGOs and social bodies from Ludhiana and Jalandhar are batting for their areas.

They are insisting that if at all the proposal is to be considered, then their area should be given a preference.

The secretary, Jalandhar Welfare Society, Surinder Saini, said, “My NGO has sent a representation to the state government for the second AIIMS for Jalandhar. Ludhiana has two big medical colleges and hospitals while Jalandhar has only private hospitals. Even referral hospitals under government empanelment are private hospitals.”

“Jalandhar is an NRI belt and has a good scope for medical tourism, especially if it gets a good AIIMS like medical institution. An AIIMS in Jalandhar can get patients from parts of HP and even J&K owing to its better connectivity,” he added.

“We were almost going to get AIIMS years ago, but were deprived of it at the last moment when Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur took it to her Bathinda constituency,” he said.

Leaders of all parties, including SAD leader and Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Gujral, had batted for the AIIMS in and around Jalandhar. At that time, Akali leader Jagir Kaur had even offered 100 acres of panchayat land in the Bholath constituency for the purpose.

Gagandeep Kaur, who is associated with Ludhiana-based NGO, Ek Noor Sewa Society, said, “AIIMS should certainly come to Ludhiana. There is so much patient inflow and that too from poorer sections that we have to get them referred to either the PGI, Chandigarh, or Rajindra Hospital, Patiala.

“All kind of treatment require diagnosis by way of scans and MRIs, which are costly even in big institutions here. So, we certainly need a hospital in Ludhiana under the Centre aid,” she added.