Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday laid the foundation of the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre here.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Singh described it as a happy and satsifying moment for him.
Praising the Government of Punjab, Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal and the people of the state for providing the land for the cancer hospital and research centre, Dr. Singh further said that they had contributed significantly to the welfare and progress of India.
Farmers of the state also came in for praise during Dr. Singh's speech, when he said that without them, and their spirit and commitment to hard work, the country could never have thought of enjoying the benefits of the "Green Revolution" that commenced over half-a-century ago.
Today, he said, traders, industrialists and the common man were giving a new direction to the state of Punjab and to the rest of the country.
He said the cancer hospital research centre, which is expected to come up within the next four years at a cost of about Rs.450 crores, would eventually cater to 40,000 existing cases, and about 10,000 fresh cases every year.
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He said the hospital is coming up thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Tata Cancer Memorial Centre and the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).
"I wish emphasize here, that underprivileged sections of society and the poor who are suffering from cancer, will receive treatment," said Dr. Singh.
He further revealed that the government is making an effort to set up a similar cancer facility in Sangrur District, as well as a national cancer centre that would establish linkages with cancer institutes at all levels in all states.