PM Modi on visit to parliamentary constituency Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a visit to his parliamentary constituency Varanasi today. The Prime Minister is addressing the One World TB Summit at Rudrakash Convention Centre on the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day. 

The summit is being organised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Stop TB Partnership.

The Prime Minister will also launch various initiatives in Varanasi today. 

In March 2018, during the End TB summit held in New Delhi, Prime Minister had called on India to achieve TB-related SDG targets by 2025, five years ahead of the stipulated time. International delegates from over 30 countries are scheduled are present at the summit.

Addressing the One World TB Summit in Varanasi on the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that India has taken many new initiatives in the global fight against TB.

Continuous efforts of the government along with the strength of public participation has resulted in reducing the number of TB patients in the country.

Talking about the achievements in the fight against TB PM Narendra Modi said that today 80 percent of the drugs used in TB treatment are being made in India.

The number of labs has been increased and the patients have been brought under the ambit of the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Prime Minister said that more than 2000 crore rupees have been sent into account of 75 lakh patients of TB under various schemes.

On the occasion, Union Minister of Health Mansukh Mandviya informed that every year 24 lakh people are diagnosed with TB in the country and around 94 thousand people die due to the disease.

He added that after the clarion call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, thousands of volunteers including kids and Indians living abroad came forward to become Ni- Kshaya Mitra.

UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath informed the gathering that 20 percent of the TB patients in the country reside in UP and in the last five years around 16 lakh 90 thousand patients have received more than 420 crore rupees as financial help.

During the event, Prime Minister also awarded select States and Districts for their progress towards ending TB.

Prime Minister will dedicate and lay the foundation stone of various projects worth more than Rs. 1780 crores at Sampurnanand Sanskrit University ground in Varanasi later today.

Some of the main development projects include a Passenger Ropeway from Varanasi Cantt station to Godowlia, an LPG bottling plant at Isarwar village, an integrated pack house Karkhiyaon, 2 MW solar power plant at water works premises, Bhelupur; and a 800 KW solar power plant at Konia Pumping Station.