On the Jan Aushadhi Diwas when Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in online interactions with beneficiaries across the country, his little impromptu pun for Congress veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad became a political highlight of the day.
Azad’s namesake in Pulwama, Ghulam Nabi, an advocate, had the opportunity of interacting with the Prime Minister, online. He made a detailed account of how he sees Modi as someone selflessly engaged in service to humanity as he asserted “this is the best worship ever”. He reiterated many times over that Modi Ji has rendered a matchless service to humanity. With a mild smile, the Prime Minister heard in rapt attention.
View: PM Modi interacting with J&K’s PMBJP beneficiaries
Continuing to share his experience about the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), the Pulwama gentleman said this has reduced his cost on medicines from Rs 10,000 to Rs 1,000. Prime Minister paused him for an exclamation, “you saved Rs 9,000!”. Advocate Ghulam Nabi Dar nodded in affirmation as he suggested that the scope of the scheme should be expanded to make it accessible to all deserving people even in remote and rural areas of the Union Territory.
At this stage, the Prime Minister interrupted him again to offer praise for his concern for other people. “Your thinking is big, people think for themselves, their own benefits but you have concern for other people also. The government is working to ensure that the Jan Aushadhi network is expanded especially in J&K, North-East, hilly, tribal areas and rural areas.”
Having praised the Pulwama advocate, the Prime Minister said, “Ghulam Nabi Ji, I have a close friend here in New Delhi with the same name as yours. He is also from Jammu and Kashmir, and has served as the Minister of Health in the past. When I meet him next, I’ll tell him about you, and that in you I’ve met the real Ghulam Nabi.”
Further, referring to the abrogation of Article 370, he said, “In the new arrangements for J&K and Ladakh, It has become easier to implement central government’s schemes. The unprecedented development in the region from past one and a half year evidences that ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas, Sabka Vishvaas’ is taking shape in true sense.”
He added, “The Minister of State for Shipping (Independent Charge) and Chemicals & Fertilizers, Mansukh Laxmanbhai Mandaviya is present amongst you all and being a Minister in the concerned Ministry, he will resolve any grievances or difficulties related to the Jan Aushadhi scheme.”
Pertinently, the government has decided to observe Jan Aushadhi Diwas on 7 March every year, in an effort to make people aware about availing affordable quality healthcare through the novel PMBJP scheme. Today marked the second Jan Aushadhi Diwas.
“Although we have been organizing various activities during the Jan Aushadhi Week (1 March-7 March), such as free health camps, CME programs, awareness rallies and camps, free distribution of medicines and Suvidha Sanitary Napkins, it is for the first time, the beneficiaries, distributors, and store in-charges from Jammu and Kashmir got an opportunity to directly interact with PM Modi through video conferencing. It will help boost the morale of store in-charges and distributors, while also popularizing the benefits of the scheme,” tells Rifat Nazir, Coordinator PMBJP, J&K.
Mansukh Laxmanbhai Mandaviya said that Jan Aushadhi Yojana has provided great relief to the patients belonging to the economically weaker sections of the society and a major part of the basic income spent on the costly medicines is being saved since the inception of the scheme.
‘The prices of essential medicines have been capped which has an effective and positive impact on the National List of Essential Medicines. Till now, the price of 957 drugs has been put into price fixation which resulted in approx. Rs. 5,416 crore savings,” he said while inaugurating the event at District Administrative Complex Pulwama today.
The Union Minister appealed the gathering to avail the benefits of the scheme. He said that the aim of the scheme is to provide affordable medicine and sustainable source of employment. He added that lakhs of people are being benefited from Jan Aushadhi Kendra’s all across the country on daily basis.
“The youth of Pulwama should come forward to start their own Jan Aushadhi Kendras and become independent and self-reliant,” he urged.
The Union Minister was accompanied by IGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, DIG South, Atul Kumar, Deputy Commissioner Pulwama Dr Raghav Langer, Director Health Services, Dr Sameer Mattoo, State Drug Controller, Lotika Khujaria, SP Pulwama Ashish Mishra, Rifat Nazir, Coordinator PMBJP J&K, and other senior civil, police officers and other officials.
On the occasion, the Union Minister distributed nearly ten baby kits among the mothers of newly born girl children under Beti Bacho Beti Padhao scheme and Sanitary kits (Suvidha) among ten adolescent girls. He also felicitated the newly recruited staff nurses under NHM/DNB Courses.
Earlier, the Minister visited Jan Aushadhi Kendra at District Hospital Pulwama where he took stock of availability of medicine and other facilities.
While interacting with the beneficiaries, pharmacists and distributors of the scheme the Minister said that Government has taken an initiative to make affordable and quality generic medicines popular among the people through the scheme. He urged creating awareness about the scheme so that no poor person suffers due to the non-availability of affordable medicines.
Also: Read my article at THE NEWS NOW
Talking to Pulwama lawyer, PM Modi’s pun for Azad steals show
waliaharry 