 It is indeed privileged to have you here in this beautiful city with a rich history. That is also the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu. We have come to Madurai to come to India. I also take this opportunity to welcome Honorable Governor of Tamil Nadu. Then Banwari Lal Prohit, Honorable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Then Edapadi K. Palani Swami, Honorable Deputy Speaker Lok Sabha. Dr. Tiru M. Tambidurai, Honorable Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Tiru O. Paneer Selvam, Honorable Union Minister of State for Finance. Tiru Pon Radha Krishnan, Honorable Minister for Cooperation, Government of Tamil Nadu. Tiru Selur K. Raja, Honorable Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of Tamil Nadu. Dr. Tiru C. Vijay Bhaskar, Honorable Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, Government of Tamil Nadu. Tiru R. B. Uday Kumar, Honorable Member of Parliament, Madurai. Tiru R. Gopal Krishnan, Honorable Member of Parliament, Viridhanagar. Tiru T. Radha Krishnan. Ladies and gentlemen, can we have a nice big round of applause? As a token of respect and affection, a traditional welcome will be accorded to the Honorable Prime Minister by our Honorable Chief Minister. I request Honorable Chief Minister to welcome the Honorable Prime Minister. Malaniya Pradhan Mantri ji, Madurai Sheher aapka swagat karta hai. While the Tamil Nadu model of public health is renowned for its success in providing quality health services at an affordable cost, especially to the rural people, having aims in Tamil Nadu has been a long, unfulfilled dream of the people of our state. Today is a historic moment for the state of Tamil Nadu, as today, in keeping with his vision of a healthy India, Honorable Prime Minister lays the foundation stone for new aims in our state at Topur, Madurai, the cultural capital and the heart of Tamil Nadu under the flagship scheme, Pradhan Mantri Swastya Suraksha Yojana. Upon the request of Honorable Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Madam Selvi, Dr. J. J. Lalitha, Honorable Prime Minister of India has given an aims for Tamil Nadu to be built at a cost of Rs. 1,264 crores in 45 months. Further, as another major step forward in bridging the gaps in the tertiary healthcare facilities in Tamil Nadu state today, Honorable Prime Minister will also be inaugurating three super-speciality hospitals set up in government medical colleges in Madurai, Tirunelveli and Tanjavur at a cost of Rs. 150 crores for each project. Both the centre and the state governments, with funding of Rs. 450 crores and Rs. 85 crores respectively, have supported these projects, a boon for the people of our state. Honorable Prime Minister will also dedicate to the nation and gift to the people of Tamil Nadu, 12 more post office passport seva kendra under a major initiative of the Government of India for taking the passport services closer to the citizens. Honorable Prime Minister will also be inaugurating three super-speciality hospitals at a cost of Rs. 1,264 crores for each project, a boon for the people of Tamil Nadu at a cost of Rs. 1,264 crores for each project. Honorable Prime Minister will also be inaugurating three super-speciality hospitals at a cost of Rs. 1,264 crores for each project. I now request Honorable Deputy Chief Minister Thiru O. Paneer Selvam to give his welcome address. Honorable Deputy Chief Minister will also be inaugurating three super-speciality hospitals at a cost of Rs. Rs. 1,264 crores for each project, a boon for the people of Tamil Nadu at a cost of Rs. 1,264 crores for each project. Honorable Deputy Chief Minister will also be inaugurating three super-speciality hospitals at a cost of Rs. 1,264 crores for each project. Honorable Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of Tamil Nadu, Dr. C. Vijay Bhaskar, Member of Parliament, Thiru Kobala Krishnan, Member of Parliament, Thiru T. Radha Krishnan, Varigavarindarukuntha Sattamanda Urupinar, Thiru Rajan Sallappa, Thiru Manikam, Thiru Periyapullan, Thiru Saravanan, Thiru Neethipathi, Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, Dr. Krisha Vaithyanathan, Dignities, Friends from the Media, Ladies and Gentlemen. It is my proud privilege to be present here on the momentous occasion of the Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences here at Thopurin, Madurai. In response to the request of the late Honorable Chief Minister, Porachitha Levyamma, the proposal to establish an alliance in Tamil Nadu was announced in the Union budget 2015-16. Under careful consideration of the alternative sites for the establishment of the alliance, the Government of India has finally chosen Thopur in Madurai district as the location for the alliance. I thank the Honorable Prime Minister and the Government of India for choosing Madurai as the location for the alliance. This location greatly benefits the people, deciding in the south-southern-backward districts of Tamil Nadu, the Thopur-Uchapethi-Satelites Township is being developed by the Tamil Nadu hosting board very close to the site of the alliance. This will ensure that all necessary infrastructures for the alliance will also develop in an orderly fashion. Porachitha Levyamma have Tamil Nadu numerous welfare and development programs. Some of the most important schemes are in the area of healthcare. As a result, Tamil Nadu has the leading health indicators among all states in India. Part of Tamil Nadu's investment in medical education under the guidance of Porachitha Levyamma has ensured that we have high-quality doctors and medical professionals. The alliance will ensure further accreditation of the quality of health human resources in Tamil Nadu. Porachitha Levyamma, through the Chief Minister's comprehensive health insurance scheme, made high-quality, tertiary medical facilities in the private sector accessible to even the poorest. We are still in the midst of the Taipongal Shasen. Many delicate events are being organized with great enthusiasm in different parts of Tamil Nadu. I recall with gratitude the Honourable Prime Minister's timely intervention in January 2017, which enabled this legal conduct of delicate, iraadha ulepukum, artelmithu saleukum, themeikku anjadha ninja uridhikum, eduthukataka thikalndu, samudaya nalam kathidabum, makkal nalam membadabum, oivindu uleithuvarum maan migu bharathaparathiru narendharamodiji avarilukku, yenglodiya yadevarumana nandigalai tarivithu. I thank the Honourable Prime Minister for laying the foundation stone for the aims in Tamil Nadu and reasserts government of Tamil Nadu continuing commitment to provide to the people of Tamil Nadu the highest quality medical facilities. Thank you. Nandri vanakkam. Thank you. Nandri, we now invite Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru Edapadi K. Palliswamy to address the gathering. I thank the Honourable Chief Minister for laying the foundation stone for the aims in Tamil Nadu Thiru Edapadi K. Palliswamy. I thank the Honourable Chief Minister for laying the foundation stone for the aims in Tamil Nadu Thiru Edapadi K. Palliswamy. I thank the Honourable Chief Minister for laying the foundation stone for the aims in Tamil Nadu Thiru Edapadi K. Palliswamy. I thank the Honourable Chief Minister for laying the foundation stone for the aims in Tamil Nadu Thiru Edapadi K. Palliswamy. I thank the Honourable Chief Minister for laying the foundation stone for the aims in Tamil Nadu Thiru Edapadi K. Palliswamy. I thank the Honourable Chief Minister for laying the foundation stone for the aims in Tamil Nadu Thiru Edapadi K. Palliswamy. I thank the Honourable Chief Minister for laying the foundation stone for the aims in Tamil Nadu Thiru Edapadi K. Palliswamy. Honourable Prime Minister Thiru Narendra Modi Ji will now lay the foundation stone for aims by clicking the remote button. Can we have the AV please? I thank the Honourable Chief Minister for laying the foundation stone for the aims in Tamil Nadu Thiru Edapadi K. Palliswamy. A Super Specialty Hospital has been built at a cost of Rs. 150 crores at Rajaji Government Medical College, Madurai for augmenting tertiary healthcare service in the state. The Super Specialty Hospital would add 320 more beds including 49 ICU beds along with 6 modular operation theatre and state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment like MRI, CT scan, catalan and digital x-ray. The four-storied hospital designed as per green building norms will facilitate augmenting 7 Super Specialty Services including Neurosurgery, Nephrology, Gastroenterology and Microvascular Surgery, marching towards a healthy India. Today Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the new facility at Rajaji Medical College, Madurai. The Honourable Prime Minister, Narendra Modi will now inaugurate the Super Specialty Hospital building at GMC Tanjavur by clicking the remote button. Can we have the AV? A Super Specialty Hospital has been set up in the Government Medical College, Tanjavur at a cost of Rs. 150 crores for augmenting tertiary healthcare in five districts around the ancient Chola capital. The six-storied hospital building would add 290 beds including 90 ICU beds along with 5 modular operation theatres and state-of-the-art equipment like CT scan, catalan and digital x-ray facilities. This will add facilities for 10 Super Specialty Departments including Interventional Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Neurosurgery, Nephrology and Gastroenterology. Today Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the new Super Specialty Block at Tanjavur Medical College. Honourable Prime Minister, Narendra Modi will now inaugurate the Super Specialty Hospital building at GMC Tirunelveli by clicking the remote button. Can we have the AV? A Super Specialty Hospital Block has been constructed at the Government Medical College, Tirunelveli at a cost of Rs. 150 crores for augmenting tertiary healthcare in the southern part of Tamil Nadu. The 330 bedded Super Specialty Hospital includes 50 ICU beds along with 7 modular operation theatres and state-of-the-art equipment like CT scan, catalan and digital x-ray facilities. This will facilitate adding 8 Super Specialty Departments including Neurology, Cardiology, Nephrology, Gastroenterology, Neurology in the Medical College. Today Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the new Super Specialty Hospital at GMC Tirunelveli. Honourable Prime Minister, Narendra Modi will now inaugurate the new Super Specialty Hospital building at GMC Tirunelveli by clicking the remote button. This will facilitate adding 8 Super Specialty Departments including Neurology, New Super Specialty Hospital at GMC Tirunelveli by clicking the remote button. Madurai, the temple city of southern India, with Meenakshiaman Temple at centre has been a seat of learning and culture since the Sangam era. With an endeavour towards making this historical city a centre of excellence for medical education, healthcare and research and to bridge the gap in tertiary healthcare facilities in the region, a new aims is being set up at Madurai at a cost of Rs. 1264 crores. Spread over an area of 200 acres, the aims will have a hospital with 750 beds including 75 ICU beds, 30 trauma beds, a medical college and a nursing college. The hospital will have 18 Super Specialty Departments to take care of critical illness including cardiac, renal, cancer and neurosurgical issues. It would be equipped with 16 modern operation theatres, state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment including CT, MRI and cath lab. The aims will also have a helipad to enable quick transfer of emergency cases. With a mantra of integrating traditional medicine, the hospital will have dedicated department of Ayush with 30 beds. The aims will have a medical college with 100 MBBS UG seats and a nursing college with an intake of 60 students each year. The college will be equipped with modern lecture theatres, seminar halls and the latest laboratory facilities. There would also be provision for students, hostel and residential facilities for doctors, nurses and support staff. All the construction will be energy-efficient and confirmed to Graha 3 star ratings with rooftop solar systems. In time to come, aims Madurai will provide leadership in the field of advanced healthcare, medical education and research in the region. Foundation stone for this prestigious institution is being laid today by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Congratulations Madurai! Now, Honourable Prime Minister Thiru Narendra Modi ji will dedicate to the people, 12 post office passport saver Kendra's by clicking the remote button. Our beloved Prime Minister for helping bring a positive tide in the healthcare sector, impacting the lives of several crore families. We the people are extremely happy to have the Honourable Prime Minister amidst us. Sir, the people are eagerly awaiting to hear from you. I now have the proud privilege of requesting the Honourable Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi ji to address all of us. I am delighted to be in Madurai, famous for Minakshi Sundareswar temple and a place that owes its name to the auspicious blessings of Lord Shiva. The country celebrated Republic Day yesterday. In some ways, the laying of foundation stone of the All India Institute of Medical Science at Madurai today reflects our vision of Aik Bharat, rest of Bharat. Friends, we all know that AIMS in Delhi has cultivated a brand name for itself in healthcare. With AIMS in Madurai, we can say that this brand of healthcare has been taken to all corners of the country from Kanyakumari to Kashmir to Madurai and from Guwahati to Gujarat. AIMS at Madurai will be constructed at a cost of more than Rs 1200 crores. It will benefit the entire population of Tamil Nadu. Friends, the NDA government is giving great priority to the health sector so that everyone is healthy and healthcare is affordable. Under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthasuraksha Ayodhra, we have supported the upgradation of government medical colleges across India. Today, I am happy to inaugurate the super-speciality blogs of Madurai, Tanjabur and Trunel Valley Medical Colleges. The speed and scale at which Mission Andradhanush is working is setting a new paradigm in preventive healthcare. Pradhan Mantri Matru Bandra Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Matri Swasthit Matru Tvavyaan is making safe pregnancy a mass movement. The number of undergraduate medical seats have been increased by almost 30% in the last four and a half years. The launch of Ayushman Bharat is also a big step. It is a carefully thought-out approach to ensure the achievement of universal health coverage for our country. Ayushman Bharat seeks to undertake path-breaking intervention to holistically address health issues. 1.5 lakh health and wellness centers are being set up to provide comprehensive primary care and preventive health services. Pradhan Mantri Aarogya Yojana provides financial protection up to Rs.5 lakh per year to cover over 10 crore needy families in case of hospitalization. It is the largest health insurance scheme in the world. I am happy to learn that 1 crore 57 lakh persons of Tamil Nadu state are covered under this scheme. In just over three months, about 89,000 beneficiaries were admitted and an amount of more than Rs.200 crore has been authorized for admitted patients of Tamil Nadu. I am also happy to learn that Tamil Nadu has already started 1,320 health and wellness centers. On the disease control front, we are providing technical and financial support to states. Our government is committed to TB elimination by 2025. I am happy to learn that the state government is upscaling the TB-free Chennai Initiative and seeking to eliminate TB in the state by 2023 itself. I compliment the state for the commitment toward the implementation of all aspects of the revised national TB control program. I assure that the government of India stands committed for extending all necessary support for efforts of the state in tackling this disease. Today, I am happy to dedicate 12 posts of its passport seba kendra in Tamil Nadu. This initiative is one more example of improving the ease of living to our citizens. I once again assure that my government is committed to strengthen the initiative in health care to ensure universal health coverage. Thank you, sir, for your words of motivation and inspiration, a unique speech from an inspiring leader. I request the audience to remain standing until the Prime Minister leaves the premises. I once again thank you, Honorable Prime Minister Tirunarendra Modiji, for visiting and joining us in adding a new chapter in the success stories of the state of Tamil Nadu in health care. I also thank the team of officials, dignitaries and people of Madurai who made this day a grand success.