I am happy to inaugurate two hospitals today – the Apollo Reach Hospital and the Vasan Eye Care and Research Institute. I congratulate Dr. P.C. Reddy. He has brought world class medical facilities to many part of India. Through the model of Apollo Reach Hospitals, he is bringing the best medical facilities to rural India, in this case Sivaganga and neighbouring districts.

I also congratulate Dr. A. M. Arun. I am told that this is the 100th hospital in the network of eye care hospitals that has been established by the Vasan group in a short span of time. I am happy to note that along with the hospital there will also be an eye care nursing institute in this campus.

Our Government has laid great emphasis on health care. The Naional Rural Health Mission is one of our flagship programmes. In the six years till march, 2011, an amount of about Rs. 63,000 crore was released to the States under the Mission. Over 1.4 lakh personnel, including doctors, specialists, nurses and para-medics have been added to the health system. We have supported the construction of several thousand district and sub-district hospitals, primary health centres and sub-centres. Over 8 lakh health assistants – called ASHAs – have been trained and deployed throughout rural India.

Our aim is to provide good medical care at affordable cost to the people of India. In the public hospitals system, medical care is provided almost entirely free. However, given the vastness of the country and the large population, it is necessary that the efforts of the Government are supplemented by the private sector. That is the justification for encouraging the private hospitals system. I would like to emphasise that private hospitals have an obligation to provide medical care at an affordable cost to the people; and it is also their social obligation to provide free medical care to some of the very poor. I have no doubt that the two hospitals will bear these obligations in mind.

The people of Sivaganga and neighbouring districts are indeed fortunate that they will be able to access the best medical facilities that are available in the country. I wish the two hospitals many years of devoted service to the welfare of the people. I also wish the people of Sivaganga happiness and prosperity.