PM Modi to visit poll-bound MP; to launch National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a day-long visit to Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday (June 27) to flag off five Vande Bharat trains and launch the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, said a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

According to the itinerary issued by his office, Modi will reach Rani Kamalapati railway station around 10.30 am and flag off five Vande Bharat trains, which will be a kind of record. The five Vande Bharat trains that Modi will flag off are: Rani Kamalapati–Jabalpur Vande Bharat Express, Khajuraho–Bhopal–Indore Vande Bharat Express, Madgaon (Goa)–Mumbai Vande Bharat Express, Dharwad–Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express, and Hatia–Patna Vande Bharat Express.

The Rani Kamalapati–Jabalpur Vande Bharat Express will connect Mahakaushal region (Jabalpur) to the central region (Bhopal) of Madhya Pradesh. Tourist places like Bheraghat, Pachmarhi, and Satpura, among others, will also be benefitted by the improved connectivity, the statement said.

The train will be about 30 minutes faster than the existing fastest train on the route, it said.

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Further, the Khajuraho–Bhopal–Indore Vande Bharat Express will improve connectivity of Malwa region (Indore) and Bundelkhand region (Khajuraho) to central region (Bhopal), the statement said. It will benefit important tourist sites like Mahakaleshwar, Mandu, Maheshwar, Khajuraho and Panna. The train will be about two hours and 30 minutes faster than the existing fastest train on the route, the PMO statement said.

The Madgaon (Goa)–Mumbai Vande Bharat Express will be Goa’s first Vande Bharat Express. It will run between Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Goa’s Madgaon station. It will help save about an hour compared to the current fastest train connecting the two places, the statement said.

The Dharwad–Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express will connect important cities in Karnataka, including Dharwad, Hubballi and Davangere, with the state capital Bengaluru. It will immensely benefit tourists, students, and industrialists in the region and will be about 30 minutes faster than the existing fastest train on the route, it said.

Likewise, the Hatia–Patna Vande Bharat Express will be the first Vande Bharat train for Jharkhand and Bihar, and will save about one hour and 25 minutes of the journey time. Enhancing connectivity between Patna and Ranchi, the train will be a boon for tourists, students and businessmen, the statement said.

After flagging off the trains, Modi will attend a public programme in Shahdol district around 3 pm, to honour Rani Durgavati, who ruled Gondwana in the mid-16th century. He will also launch the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission and kickstart the distribution of Ayushman cards.

National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission

Modi will launch the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission at a public programme in Shahdol and will distribute sickle cell genetic status cards to beneficiaries. The mission aims to address the pressing health challenges posed by sickle cell disease, particularly among the tribal population.

Its launch will mark a crucial milestone in the government’s ongoing efforts to eliminate sickle cell disease as a public health problem by 2047, the statement said.

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The National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission was announced in the Union Budget 2023-2024. It will be implemented in 278 districts of 17 states in the country, namely, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, and Uttarakhand.

Modi will also kickstart the distribution of about 3.57 crore Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) cards in Madhya Pradesh. The ceremony for the distribution of Ayushman cards will be organised at urban bodies, gram panchayats and development blocks across the state.

The Ayushman card distribution campaign is a step towards realising the PM’s vision of reaching out to every beneficiary to ensure 100 per cent saturation of welfare schemes, the statement said.

During the programme, Modi will honour Rani Durgavati on the occasion of the conclusion of Rani Durgavati Gaurav Yatra organised by the MP government to popularise her valour and sacrifice. Rani Durgavati is remembered as a brave, fearless and courageous warrior who fought for freedom against the Mughals, the statement said.

In a unique initiative, Prime Minister Modi will also visit Pakaria village of Shahdol and interact with tribal leaders, self-help groups, leaders of PESA [Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996] committees and captains of village football clubs, it said.

Tribal and folk artistes will perform at a cultural programme that will be attended by Modi, who will also have dinner at the village.

(With agency inputs)