Railways may ink MoU with Gujarat at Vibrant Gujarat Summit

Ministry's tie-up aims to develop Sabarmati and Surat railway stations

In a meeting with Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel on Monday in New Delhi, Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu expressed confidence that Ministry of Railways may sign memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with the Government of Gujarat during the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Summit in January 2015.

The Memorandums of Understanding may be signed with regards to development of Sabarmati and Surat railway stations, a demand made by the state government, as per an official statement.  In her meeting with Prabhu, Patel raised the issue of 38 permissions pending with Railways at zonal and divisional levels for canal crossings under the Sardar Sarovar Canal project wherein the Union Railway Minister assured all assistance on the issue and also suggested forming a joint task force to look into early solution.

Apart from Prabhu, the Gujarat chief minister also met Union Health & Family Welfare Minister J P Nadda and Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilisers Ananth Kumar and discussed issues pertaining to health and chemicals & Fertilizers of the state pending with respective ministries.

Patel requested Nadda for extending the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) to five districts, namely Palanpur, Amreli, Vyara, Nadiad and Godhra in Gujarat and upgrade civil hospitals to medical bodies in the districts. Moreover, Patel stated that that Gujarat was keen to have one AIIMS-type institution in the state and alternative locations have already been identified in Vadodara and Rajkot districts.

Further, Patel proposed that 100 seats for MBBS course in Surat and 70 seats in Vadodara should be approved by the Union Ministry of Health.

She also proposed an ESI medical college in Gujarat with the assistance of GoI, apart from Centre's recognition for Gujarat Government-run Sickle Cell Anaemia Control Programme at a national level and provide more funds to the scheme.  On his part, Nadda assured that the ministry will soon chalk out a comprehensive strategy on sickle-cell anaemia for Gujarat and Maharashtra both.

Issues relating to chemicals and fertilizers included enhancement of supply of indigenous urea and more rack points for imported urea in Gujarat which raised by Patel with Kumar.

The Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers proposed to set up a vocational training centre in south Gujarat to impart training on plastic engineering and technology to tribal students with 100 percent employment assistance.

Ananth Kumar also requested the Gujarat CM to provide adequate land and logistics support for the training institute.