Chandigarh/Lehragaga, April 15
Punjab Cabinet Ministers Harpal Singh Cheema, Dr. Balbir Singh and Barinder Kumar Goyal today inaugurated OPD and IPD services at the Community Health Centre (CHC), Lehragaga. This marks the first step toward the Punjab Government’s historic decision to establish a Medical College and Hospital at Lehragaga, while also ensuring immediate access to healthcare facilities for the public.
The CHC, which was previously in a dilapidated condition, has now been renovated and upgraded. With the availability of specialist doctors, OPD and IPD services have been made operational. This facility will benefit Lehragaga as well as nearby villages and towns within a radius of 50 kilometers.
Addressing a press conference at CHC Lehragaga, Cheema said that these medical services will be managed by the Janhit Trust’s unit, Acharya Vidyanand Jain Institute of Medical Sciences and Research. He added that this initiative will establish Lehragaga’s identity not only in Sangrur but across the world.
On this occasion, Dr. Balbir clarified that the institution is not being handed over to private hands in any form. The government remains committed to providing better healthcare services to the people. The services have been entrusted to the Janhit Trust’s unit, whose sole objective is to serve humanity and not to earn profit.
The Health Minister further stated that due to the relentless efforts of the Punjab Government, the closed Baba Hira Singh Bhattal Institute of Engineering and Technology is being revived as a Medical College and Hospital. This medical college will cater to both Moonak and Khanauri regions and hospitals in these areas will also function under its framework.
Dr. Balbir added that earlier the region faced a severe shortage of specialist doctors and healthcare facilities, but under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, special focus is being given to this area. The establishment of the medical college and hospital will not only improve healthcare services but also accelerate economic development and generate large-scale employment opportunities. The Health Minister also honoured the specialist doctors who will be serving at the Community Health Centre.
On this occasion, Cabinet Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal expressed gratitude to Cheema and Dr. Balbir for their support in bringing the medical college project to this stage. He further informed that nursing classes will begin at the medical college next year, along with MD and MS courses. The Minister said that earlier many capable students from the region could not pursue careers in medicine due to a lack of facilities, but now they will be able to fulfill their dreams.
Goyal emphasized that in the past, due to the absence of emergency services, people often had to travel to Sangrur or Patiala, sometimes resulting in loss of lives due to delays. Now, such situations will be avoided with improved medical facilities available locally. He also stated that admissions and seat allocation in the upcoming medical college, to be established by the Jain community, will strictly follow the guidelines and notifications issued by the State Government. The fee structure for all categories will also be regulated as per government norms.
The medical college will be established with an intake capacity of 100 MBBS seats and a minimum of 440 beds. The objective is to provide quality medical education to residents and to develop Punjab as a hub of medical education.
