Namaskar!

It was very satisfying as I got an opportunity to talk to many people in different corners of the country today. I express my gratitude to all those who are involved in this campaign to take the benefits of the government's efforts to the people. The government is privileged to honor some colleagues today. I also extend my wishes to all of you on the Jan Aushadhi Diwas.

Jan Aushadhi Kendras not only medicate the body but are also the remedy to concerns of the mind. Moreover, they also provide relief to the people as they save money. The apprehension regarding the cost of medicines written in the prescription has also subsided. If we look at the figures of this financial year, then more than 800 crore rupees worth of medicines have been sold through Jan Aushadhi Kendras.

It means that the poor and the middle-class people have saved 5,000 crore rupees in this financial year only through the Jan Aushadhi Kendras. And as you just saw in the video, overall 13,000 crore rupees have been saved till now. The savings are more compared to last year. The saving of 13,000 crore rupees of the poor and the middle-class through the Jan Aushadhi Kendras during the Corona period is a huge help in itself.  And it is a matter of satisfaction that this assistance is reaching most of the people in most of the states of the country.

There are more than 8,500 Jan Aushadhi Kendras in the country. These centers are no longer just government stores but are becoming centers of solution and convenience for the common man. Sanitary napkins for women are also available for one rupee at these centers. The sale of over 21 crore sanitary napkins is proof that Jan Aushadhi Kendras are making life easier for a large number of women.

Friends,

There is a saying in English - Money Saved is Money Earned! That is, the money that is saved adds to your income. When the poor or the middle-class people save money on the cost of treatment, they are able to spend that money on other things.

There are more than 50 crore people under the ambit of the Ayushman Bharat scheme. More than three crore people have taken advantage of it since the launch of this scheme. They have got free treatment in hospitals. In the absence of this scheme, our poor brothers and sisters would have to spend about 70,000 crore rupees.

When there is a government sympathetic to the poor, the middle-class and the lower-middle-class families, such schemes work for the betterment of society. Our government has started the PM National Dialysis Program. Nowadays, one finds so many problems related to kidney and dialysis. The poor have undergone more than one crore free dialysis sessions under this campaign. As a result, the poor families have saved 550 crore rupees on dialysis. When there is a government that cares for the poor, it saves their expenses like this. Our government has also controlled the price of more than 800 medicines required for the treatment of diseases, be it cancer, TB, diabetes, or heart ailment.

The government has also ensured controlling the cost of stents and knee implants. These decisions have led to the savings of about 13,000 crore rupees for the poor. When there is a government concerned about the interests of the poor and the middle-class, then these decisions of the government benefit the general public and they also become ambassadors of these schemes in a way.

Friends,

The citizens of the major countries of the world had to spend thousands of rupees for each dose of the vaccine during Corona. But we tried from day one that the poor and not a single citizen of India had to spend any money for vaccination. This free vaccine campaign has been successfully running in the country and our government has spent more than 30,000 crore rupees so far so that the citizens of our country remain healthy.

You must have noticed that the government has taken another big decision just a few days ago which will benefit the poor and middle-class children. We have decided that the fee of 50 percent of seats in private medical colleges will be equal to the fee in the government medical colleges. They cannot charge more than that. As a result, about 2,500 crore rupees will be saved for the children of the poor and middle-class. Moreover, they will be able to study medical and technical education in their mother tongue so that the poor, middle-class and lower-middle-class children who have not studied English in their schools will also be able to become doctors

Brothers and sisters,

Keeping in mind the challenges of the future, our government is continuously strengthening the health infrastructure. There was only one AIIMS in the country for so many decades after independence, but there are 22 AIIMS today. Our target is to have at least one medical college in every district of the country. Now every year, 1.5 lakh new doctors are graduating from the medical institutions of the country which will be a huge force in the quality and accessibility of health services.

Thousands of wellness centers are also being opened in rural areas across the country. Along with these efforts, we are endeavoring that our citizens do not need to go to the hospital. Be it the spread of Yoga, the inclusion of AYUSH in lifestyle, Fit India and Khelo India movements, these are major parts of our Healthy India campaign.

Brothers and sisters,

May everyone have a respectable life in India which is moving forward on the mantra of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, and Sabka Prayas'! I am sure that our Jan Aushadhi Kendras will also continue to strengthen society with the same resolve. Best wishes to all of you once again.

Many thanks!

DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of PM’s speech. Original speech was delivered in Hindi.

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DS/ST/VK