Modi lays foundation for IIPH's 140cr proj in Guj

Gandhinagar, Aug 3: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today laid a foundation stone of Rs 140 crore project of Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH).

''As a joint venture between the state government and Public Health Foundation of India, the IIPH will become one of the best centres of health sector in the country. The state government has allotted 50 acre of land near Chiloda-Palaj Road near Gandhinagar and contributed Rs 25 crore to the project. Leading entrepreneurs like Essar Group Chairman Shashi Ruia, Chairman and Managing Director of Zydus Cadila Pankaj Patel have also made generous contribution to this project,'' said Mr Modi at the foundation stone laying ceremony here.

''Our aim will be to make IIPH as famous in the world as the Indian Institute of Management- Ahmedabad (IIM-A) is,'' he said.

Talking about the progress Gujarat has made in the pharmacy sector, Mr Modi said ''Gujarat has always been at the forefront in taking initiative in the pharmacy sector. Fifty years ago when there was no pharmacy college in the state, industrialists had built up the first college in the state. Today, in pharmacy sector, Gujarat has contribution of 45 per cent in production of pharma-drugs in the country.'' Those present at the function included Shashi Ruia, Pankaj Patel, Wockhardt chairman Habib Khorakiwala, Chief Secretary Sudhir Mankad and senior officials of the health department.

UNI