Gadkari was in Nagpur to dedicate Vidarbha’s first double-decker electric bus to the elderly. Ashok Leyland Ltd has donated the 65-seater AC bus to the organization, Jyeshtha Nagarik Pratishthan (a group of senior citizens), under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme. Gadkari is the head of the Pratishthan.
Elaborating further on the hospital plan, the city MP said an MRI, which costs ₹15,000 in private centres will cost only ₹1500. Besides, a CT scan will cost ₹600 against the regular charge of ₹5,000 and pathalogy lab will charge ₹500 as against ₹15000 charged otherwise. MSME Technology Centre, Visakhapatnam, will donate machineries costing ₹25 crore. The bhumi poojan of the new hospital will be laid very soon, the minister said.
The Jyeshtha Nagarik Pratishthan will take care of all types of medical facilities provided to senior citizens. The plan is to increase mobile eye check-up and treatment centres to two. Also, a mobile dental check-up and treatment centre will be launched soon, Gadkari said.
Secretary of Jyeshtha Nagarik Pratishthan Raju Mishsaid that the new hospital will be a five-storey building, spread in a sprawling area of 5,000 sq ft land near Kamal Square in north Nagpur. The hospital will be operated and maintained by Jyeshtha Nagarik Pratishthan and Matoshree Bhanutai Gadkari Gramin Vikas Sanstha.
The Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) has given lease for the land and also sanctioned its building plan.
Gadkari said two more e-buses will be engaged for taking senior citizens on pilgrimages and to tourist places free of cost.
“The Olectra management will renovate an old bus and has assured to donate one more. Tata Motors has donated one e-bus which will arrive this month. The buses will be equipped with a music system and television and have breakfast, lunch etc facilities at nominal rates for the elderly tourists,” he said.
Around 162 associations of senior citizens from the district and other parts of Nagpur division are affiliated to the Jyeshtha Nagarik Pratishthan. Gadkari also unveiled a plan to collect unusable clothes, shoes etc, repair them and donate them to tribal and other needy people of Vidarbha.
The minister urged the elderly and public representatives to associate with Jyeshtha Nagarik Pratishthan and contribute in their effort to take care of the elderly.
