Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, November 4
Former Union Minister and Hamirpur MP Anurag Singh Thakur has credited the Narendra Modi government for securing a ₹1,422 crore project funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to overhaul health infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh. Thakur described the approval as “a direct outcome of the central government’s consistent efforts” to modernise healthcare facilities in the hill state.
Anurag Thakur on Tuesday said that the Modi government had “always shown special concern for the people of Devbhoomi Himachal,” and that the newly sanctioned JICA project reflected the Centre’s commitment to improving medical infrastructure in remote and semi-urban districts. He noted that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had met Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda in May 2025 to request support for the JICA proposal, which was later cleared by the Ministry of Finance on 30 June 2025. The project includes ₹1,138 crore (80%) as external assistance from JICA and ₹284 crore (20%) as the state’s share.
Thakur, however, accused the state government of “misleading the public” by projecting the entire funding as its own.
“It is unfortunate that the state government is attempting to claim full credit for a project largely financed by external assistance approved through the central government,” Anurag Thakur said.
According to Thakur, the project will finance major upgrades, including a new ₹300 crore cancer hospital in Hamirpur, expanded facilities in Nahan, Mandi, Tanda, Chamba, and IGMC Shimla, and the installation of three Tesla MRI machines and high-energy LINAC systems for advanced cancer treatment. It will also fund robotic surgery equipment, the creation of 67 model health institutions, and digital transformation of health services across the state. He further said that the project represents “a transformative leap” in Himachal’s healthcare capabilities, bringing modern medical technology and accessibility to underserved regions.
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, this is a monumental gift for Himachal Pradesh. We are deeply grateful for their vision and support,” he said. Observers say the project underscores the Centre’s growing emphasis on infrastructure-led healthcare reforms in smaller states, combining international aid with national development schemes.
