Tag Archives: Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad

Congress veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad named among Padma Bhushan recipients

JAMMU & KASHMIR :

Ghulam Nabi Azad, one of the top politicians of Jammu & Kashmir, has served as the chief minister of the erstwhile state between 2005 and 2008.

He was the Union health minister from 2009 and 2014, and subsequently served as the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha till February 2021.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad (PTI)

Former Jammu & Kashmir chief minister and veteran politician of the Congress party, Ghulam Nabi Azad, was included in the list of Padma Bhushan awardees released by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on January 25.

Azad, 72, will be conferred with Padma Bhushan by President Ram Nath Kovind for his contribution in the field of “public affairs”.

A total of 17 names were approved by the President for the conferment of Padma Bhushan — which is awarded for “distinguished service of high order”.

Apart from Azad, the list also includes another top politician – former West Bengal chief minister and senior CPI(M) leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.

Azad, who served as the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha between June 2014 and February 2021, was lauded by the prime minister at the conclusion of his tenure in the Parliament’s Upper House.

“Azad has distinguished himself in Parliament. He not only worries about his Party but also had a similar passion towards the smooth running of the House and towards India’s development,” he had said.

Azad, a member of the Congress’ G-23 – an informal reference to 23 Congress veterans who had marked dissent against the party’s style of functioning, had apparently reciprocated the gesture last year by praising Modi for ‘not hiding his true self”.

Notably, Azad, before serving as the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha for close to seven years, was the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare in the second UPA government between 2009 and 2014.

He had served as the seventh chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir between November 2005 and July 2008.

The Padma awards, whose recipients are announced on the eve of Republic Day, are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions which are held at Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around March-April every year.

This year, the President has approved the conferment of 128 Padma awards. The list comprises 4 Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 107 Padma Shri awards.

source: http://www.moneycontrol.com / MoneyControl.com / Home> News> India / January 25th, 2022

JK Govt should enhance retirement age of doctors: Azad

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today asked the Jammu and Kashmir  government to raise the retirement age of doctors so that the health sector did not suffer for want of adequate staff.

Azad said this after inaugurating a 220-bed Super Speciality Hospital besides launching Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakaram (RBSK), Project Swasthya Slate and 102-J&K Referral Service under National Rural Health Mission here.

Regarding 102 referral service, he asked the state health minister to bring the remaining sanctioned 200 ambulances at the earliest.

Accompanied by Union Minister Farooq Abdullah, Azad said Jammu and Kashmir was the first state to get the Project Swasthya Slate to cover most difficult areas.

Spelling out achievements of the Centre and state governments, Azad said, “We have not only given new dimensions to health sector but all the development fields have witnessed a discernible change during the past 4 to 5 years.”

Azad said one more medical college has been sanctioned for Rajouri, thus raising the total number of newly sanctioned medical colleges to five.

He said the government has given nod to establish 75 cancer institutions in the country compared to only one such centre in the last 65 years.

He said the UPA government extended massive financial and moral support to all the states without any political, social or religious consideration.

Speaking on the occasion, Abdullah extended gratitude to the Centre for giving special consideration to development of J&K in view of its tough terrain and hoped it will continue to do so in future also.

He also thanked Azad for transforming the healthcare profile of the state.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> PTI Stories> National> News / by Press Trust of India / Jammu- March 03rd, 2014