I am very happy to be here today at Jorhat, the ancient city of learning and administration in Assam. It is also the district that has the highest literacy rate among all the districts of the State. I take pride in laying the foundation stone of the Jorhat Medical College in this seat of learning and scholarship in Assam.

This is the result of the efforts of the State following the decision taken by your dynamic Chief Minister in 2005 to set up three new medical colleges in addition to the medical colleges at Guwahati, Dibrugarh and Silchar. I congratulate the State Government, the chief Minister and the Minister for Health for this initiative.

This Jorhat Medical College has been conceived as a state-of-the-art medical institution which will impart quality medical education and also be able to provide high quality health care to the people of the region in Assam.

One of the major challenges we face in our country is providing adequate medical facilities for our growing population. This in turn depends critically on the availability of trained medical professionals. We have a major shortage in our country of both trained doctors and nurses. This needs to be addressed at both the national and regional levels. And I am happy that Assam is taking major steps to make good the deficiency in availability of medical professionals.

In the case of medical colleges, the spread of medical institutions in the country is uneven with five southern States of India having more than 60% of the medical colleges. This uneven spread of facilities for medical education is at the root of the problem of poor medical care in several States of India.

The Government of India and the State Governments are collectively thinking of solutions to address this gap. Our regulatory framework for medical education needs to pro-actively promote the spread of medical education to all parts of the country. There is a need to amend the charter of the Medical Council of India to incorporate this objective.

There will have to be a change in the mindset of our authorities as they bring this vital promotional role within the ambit of their functioning. The acceptance of such a mandate will prod us to think innovatively on how to enhance the quality and availability of medical education in our country as also to ensure balanced regional spread.

I am happy that the Government of Assam has set up a society by the name of Society for Medical Education, Jorhat to give new direction to this medical college and to manage its facilities. It is a laudable step in the direction of autonomy. Institutions of excellence can only thrive in an atmosphere of autonomy which allows the full flow of creative energies of its teachers, administrators and students. I compliment the Government of Assam for this pioneering initiative.

The shortage of human resources is equally evident in the other rungs of our health system like nursing. With the spread of health facilities that we are taking up now, through the National Rural Health Mission, of which Assam happens to be a major beneficiary, we need a large number of nurses to support these institutions.

The Planning Commission has projected a shortage of nearly one million nurses in the country in the next five years. Observers have also pointed out how India has a great potential to become the human resource pool for the "health care industry" in the world. Thus, our needs and opportunities are immense and we must rise to meet this challenge.

Nursing has provided many job opportunities to women and contributed to their empowerment in some States of the country. The women of the North-East are well educated and progressive in outlook. I have no doubt that, given the right opportunities, we will see large numbers of lady doctors and nurses from the North East in different hospitals and health care institutions of the country.

I am also happy that the National Rural Health Mission, which the UPA Government commenced in 2005, under the inspiring leadership of Shrimati Sonia Gandhi, with the objective of strengthening rural public health infrastructure, has been able to make a good impact in Assam. In fact the achievement of Assam in fulfillment of the objectives has been acclaimed all over the world. I congratulate the Government of Assam on this.

The Mission in the last three years has sought to strengthen rural public health infrastructure in Assam and the early results are encouraging. Through the work of the Mission, the villages of the State are today being served through over 26,000 ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists) who are each provided a radio set. Over 4,000 Auxillary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) along with 2,440 other nurses and doctors, ayurvedic doctors and specialists have been added in health units.

The impact of the improved health care infrastructure is evident from the fact that the institutional deliveries in the State have in the last four years have doubled.

There are also innovative medical practices which have been introduced in the State through the National Rural Health Mission like the Mobile Unit that I have just launched. These mobile units are equipped with the latest equipment and medicines. They also have diagnostic facilities for x-rays, microscopes, ECG and Ultrasound machines, Autoclaves and a mobile pharmacy. These units complete with a medical team of doctors, nurses and laboratory technicians will reach medical care to every corner of the state of Assam.

This is to my mind symbolic of how our Government through the National Rural Health Mission has sought to reach quality health care to the door steps of the Aam Admi. Assam has also initiated another noble initiative in the shape of "Boat Clinics" in cooperation with an NGO to provide services to people living in the riverine areas. In a country large and asymmetric like ours, we need to have multiple and innovative models for health care delivery and these initiatives are a testimony to that. I am very happy that Assam is giving the lead to the rest of the country in providing health care to its people.

I have great pleasure in laying the foundation stone of the Jorhat Medical College and flagging off this Mobile Medical Unit. They symbolize our common desire to provide basic health care in rural areas through creation of human resources and innovative and effective outreach. I am sure that this institution will fulfill its promise and become a model for similar pioneering and innovative initiatives elsewhere in the region. My best wishes to all the doctors, teachers, students and medical professionals and the people of Jorhat and surrounding districts.

Thank you.