Har Har Mahadev!

Shankaracharya of the Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, venerable Jagatguru Sri Shankar Vijayendra Saraswati; Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Anandiben Patel; Chief Minister, Shri Yogi Adityanath; Deputy Chief Minister, Brajesh Pathak ji; RV Ramani of the Sankara Eye Foundation; Dr. SV Balasubramaniam; Shri Murali Krishnamurthy; Rekha Jhunjhunwala; and all other distinguished members of the organization, ladies and gentlemen!

Visiting Kashi during this sacred month is, in itself, a profound spiritual experience. Present here are not only the residents of Kashi but also saints and philanthropists, making this occasion a truly blessed convergence! I am fortunate to meet and receive the prasad and blessings of the revered Shankaracharya ji. It is through his blessings that Kashi and the Purvanchal region have been bestowed with another modern hospital today. In this divine city of Lord Shankar, the RJ Sankara Eye Hospital is dedicated to the people from today. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the families of Kashi and Purvanchal.

Friends,
Our scriptures proclaim: "तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय:" – meaning, lead us from darkness to light. This RJ Sankara Eye Hospital will remove the darkness from the lives of countless people in Varanasi and this region, guiding them towards the light. I have just returned from visiting this eye hospital, and in every sense, it represents a fusion of spirituality and modernity. This hospital will serve the elderly and give new sight to children. A significant number of poor people will receive free treatment here. Moreover, this eye hospital has created new employment opportunities for the youth. Medical students will be able to do internships and practise here, and numerous individuals will find work as support staff.

Friends,

I have had the privilege of being associated with the noble endeavours of the Sankara Eye Foundation in the past as well. During my tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat, I was involved in the inauguration of the Sankara Eye Hospital there. I had the honour of undertaking that work under the guidance of your revered Guruji. Today, I once again have the opportunity to contribute under your guidance, and this fills me with immense satisfaction. In fact, Pujya Swami Ji reminded me that I have been blessed in another way. I was fortunate to have received the blessings of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peethadheepati Jagatguru Shankaracharya Chandrashekharendra Saraswati Mahaswamigal. I had the privilege of sitting at the feet of Param Acharya Ji on numerous occasions and received immense affection from Param Pujya Jagatguru Shankaracharya Shri Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal Ji. I have completed several important projects under his guidance, and now I am blessed with the company of Jagatguru Shankaracharya Shri Shankar Vijayendra Saraswati Ji. In a way, being connected with three Guru traditions is one of life’s greatest blessings. This is something that gives me deep personal satisfaction. Today, Jagatguru has kindly taken time out to come to my parliamentary constituency for this programme. As the representative of the people here, I extend my heartfelt welcome to you and express my profound gratitude.

Friends,

On this occasion, it is only natural to remember my dear friend, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala Ji. The world is well aware of his stature in the business community, and much has been said about him in that regard. However, his dedication to social causes is evident here today. His family is now continuing his legacy, and Rekha Ji is devoting considerable time to this noble work. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to meet Rakesh Ji’s entire family today. I recall requesting both the Sankara Eye Hospital and the Chitrakoot Eye Hospital to establish themselves in Varanasi, and I am deeply grateful to both institutions for honouring the wishes of the people of Kashi. In the past, thousands of individuals from my parliamentary constituency have received treatment at Chitrakoot Eye Hospital. Now, the people of this region will benefit from two new modern institutions right here in Varanasi.

Friends,

Kashi has long been recognized as a centre of religion and culture. Now, it is also gaining recognition as a major healthcare hub for Uttar Pradesh and the Purvanchal region. Whether it is the trauma centre at BHU, the super-specialty hospital, the enhanced facilities at Deendayal Upadhyay Hospital and Kabirchaura Hospital, specialised hospitals for the elderly and government employees, or the medical college – many healthcare advancements have been made in Kashi over the past decade. Today, Banaras also boasts a modern cancer treatment facility, enabling patients who once had to travel to Delhi or Mumbai to receive quality care locally. Thousands of people from Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and other parts of the country now come here for treatment. Our Mokshadayini Kashi is evolving into a centre of new vitality, offering fresh energy and enhanced healthcare resources.

Friends,

During the tenure of previous governments, the healthcare infrastructure in Purvanchal, including Varanasi, was grossly neglected. The situation was so dire that, just 10 years ago, there were no block-level treatment centres for brain fever in Purvanchal. Children would tragically lose their lives, and the media would be filled with reports of this distress. Yet, the former governments did nothing to address the issue. I am gratified that over the past decade, we have seen an unprecedented expansion of healthcare facilities, not only in Kashi but across the entire Purvanchal region. Today, more than 100 centres are operational, providing treatment for brain fever throughout Purvanchal. Over the last 10 years, more than 10,000 new hospital beds have been added to primary and community health centres across the region. In the same period, over 5,500 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been established in the villages of Purvanchal. A decade ago, there were no dialysis facilities in the district hospitals of Purvanchal. Today, more than 20 dialysis units are functioning, offering patients these services free of charge.

Friends,

The new Bharat of the 21st century has transformed the outdated thinking and approach to healthcare. Today, Bharat’s healthcare strategy is built on five key pillars. The first is preventive healthcare – taking steps to prevent illness before it occurs. The second is timely diagnosis of diseases. The third is providing free and affordable treatment, including access to inexpensive medicines. The fourth is ensuring quality medical care in smaller towns, addressing the shortage of doctors. And the fifth pillar is the expansion of technology in healthcare.

Friends,

Protecting individuals from disease is a top priority of Bharat's health policy and forms the first pillar of the health sector. Illness only deepens the poverty of the disadvantaged. As you know, over the past 10 years, 250 million people have been lifted out of poverty. However, a serious illness could easily push them back into the depths of poverty. This is why the government is placing significant emphasis on disease prevention. Our government is focusing particularly on cleanliness, yoga and Ayurveda, nutritious food, and related areas. We have also extended the vaccination campaign to as many households as possible. Just 10 years ago, the country's vaccination coverage stood at only around 60 percent, leaving crores of children unvaccinated. Furthermore, the rate of increase in vaccination coverage was a mere 1 to 1.5 percent annually. At that pace, it would have taken another 40 to 50 years to achieve universal vaccination coverage for every child and every region. You can imagine the great injustice this was doing to the younger generation of the nation. Therefore, upon forming the government, we prioritised child vaccination and expanding its coverage. We launched Mission Indradhanush, involving multiple ministries in this effort simultaneously. As a result, not only did the vaccination rate rise significantly, but crores of pregnant women and children who were previously excluded from it were vaccinated. The strong emphasis Bharat placed on vaccination proved highly beneficial during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, the vaccination campaign continues to progress rapidly across the country.

Friends,

In addition to disease prevention, timely detection of illnesses is equally important. For this reason, lakhs of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been established nationwide, enabling early detection of diseases such as cancer and diabetes. Today, we are also building a network of critical care units and modern laboratories across the country. This second pillar of the health sector is saving the lives of lakhs of people.

Friends,

The third pillar of healthcare is affordable treatment and inexpensive medicines. Today, the average medical expenditure for every citizen in the country has reduced by 25 percent. People are now able to purchase medicines at an 80 percent discount through PM Jan Aushadhi Kendras. Whether it be heart stents, knee implants, or cancer medicines, the prices of these essential treatments have been significantly reduced. The Ayushman Yojana, which offers free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh for the poor, has become a lifesaver for many. So far, more than 7.5 crore patients across the country have benefited from free treatment under this scheme. Moreover, this service is now being extended to the elderly in every family throughout the nation.

Friends,

The fourth pillar of healthcare aims to reduce the dependency on major cities like Delhi and Mumbai for treatment. Over the past decade, we have established AIIMS, medical colleges, and super-specialty hospitals in smaller cities. To address the shortage of doctors in the country, thousands of new medical seats have been added in the last decade. Looking ahead, we have decided to add 75,000 more seats in the next five years.

Friends,

The fifth pillar of healthcare is increasing access to health services through technology. Today, digital health IDs are being created, and patients can receive consultations from the comfort of their homes through platforms like the e-Sanjeevani app. I am pleased to share that over 30 crore people have already taken advantage of consultations via the e-Sanjeevani app. We are also advancing towards integrating drone technology with healthcare services.

Friends, 

A healthy and capable young generation is essential for achieving the vision of a developed Bharat. I am immensely pleased that in this mission, we are blessed with the support of the revered Pujya Shankaracharya Ji. I pray to Baba Vishwanath that this mission for a healthy and capable Bharat continues to grow stronger. Today, as I sit at the feet of Pujya Shankaracharya Ji, I am reminded of memories from my childhood. When I was young, a doctor from my village would travel to Bihar for a month each year with a group of volunteers. There, he would conduct a large-scale cataract surgery campaign, which he referred to as "Netra Yagna." He dedicated one month every year to this cause, and many people from my village would accompany him as volunteers. Even as a child, I was aware of the immense need for such services in Bihar. Therefore, today, I make a heartfelt request to Pujya Shankaracharya Ji to consider opening a similar Sankara Eye Hospital in Bihar. Those memories from my childhood remind me of how impactful such a service would be for the people of Bihar. Maharaj Ji has a vision of reaching every corner of the country, and I am confident that Bihar will be given priority and receive your blessings. It would be a tremendous honour to serve the diligent and hardworking people of Bihar, and contributing to their well-being would bring us great fulfilment in life. Once again, I extend my best wishes to all of you, especially our dedicated doctors, paramedical staff, and all the brothers and sisters working in this noble mission. With deep reverence, I bow before Pujya Jagatguru Ji, offering my heartfelt prayers for his continued blessings and guidance. With gratitude in my heart, I conclude my speech.

Har-Har Mahadev!

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MJPS/ST/IG