PM Inaugurates Various Projects in Bihar

• 14 Nov 2024

Why in News?

Recently, the Prime Minister laid the foundation for the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) hospital and other projects worth Rs 12,100 crore in Darbhanga, Bihar.

• 25 additional projects in rail, road, health, and energy sectors were also inaugurated across the region.

Key Points

• About the Projects:
  • AIIMS, Darbhanga Project:
    • The AIIMS project in Darbhanga, costing Rs 1264 crore and covering 187 acres in the Sobhan area, is expected to be completed within three years.
    • This will be the second AIIMS in Bihar, aimed at expanding healthcare infrastructure in the state.
    • The project will feature a super-speciality hospital, an AYUSH block, a medical college, a nursing college, along with a night shelter and residential facilities for staff.
    • It will provide advanced tertiary healthcare services for people in Bihar and nearby regions.
  • Jan Aushadhi Kendras:
    • The PM will dedicate 18Jan Aushadhi Kendras at railway stations nationwide to increase the availability of affordable medicines.
    • These centers aim to promote the use of generic medicines, helping to lower healthcare costs for passengers.
    • It was launched to provide affordable and quality medicines, particularly for the poor and disadvantaged, and was revamped as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana (PMJAY) in September 2015.
  • National Highway Development:
    • The PM will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of several highway projects worth Rs 5,070 crore.
    • This includes the new four-lane Galgalia-Araria section on NH-327E, providing an alternative route from Araria to West Bengal.
  • Railway Infrastructure Projects:
    • Railway projects worth over Rs 1,740 crore will be inaugurated, including gauge conversions and a bypass line to ease traffic congestion.
    • New Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) train services in the Jhanjharpur-Laukaha Bazar section will improve access to jobs and education for nearby communities.
      • A MEMU is an Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) train that serves short and medium-distance routes.
  • Petroleum and Natural Gas Sector Initiatives:
    • The PM will initiate projects worth more than Rs 4,020 crore in the petroleum and natural gas sector.
    • These include a City Gas Distribution network in five districts of Bihar – Darbhanga, Madhubani, Supaul, Sitamarhi and Sheohar – by the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited.
    • The PM also laid the foundation stone for a new bitumen-manufacturing unit at the Barauni refinery to reduce dependency on imports.

AYUSH

• AYUSH is the acronym of the medical systems that are being practised in India such as:
  • Ayurveda: Ancient system emphasising holistic well-being.
  • Yoga: Union of body, mind, and spirit through physical postures and meditation.
  • Naturopathy: Natural healing using elements like water, air, and diet.
  • Unani: Balance restoration through herbal medicines and humoral theory.
  • Siddha: Traditional Tamil medicine with roots in five elements and humours.
  • Homeopathy: Highly diluted remedies stimulating self-healing responses.
• These systems are based on definite medical philosophies and represent a way of healthy living with established concepts on prevention of diseases and promotion of health.
• The Ministry of AYUSH, is responsible for developing education, research and propagation of AYUSH in India.