Varanasi, October 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hit out at previous governments for neglecting eastern Uttar Pradesh and said Kashi's identity has for long been that of a centre of religion and spirituality but it will now emerge as a big centre of healthcare.

The prime minister was addressing the inauguration ceremony of the Rakesh Jhujhunwala Sankara Eye Hospital in his Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency. It will be run by the Kanchi Math. PM Modi in Varanasi: RJ Sankara Eye Hospital Blend of Spirituality and Modernity, Says Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Watch Video).

Reciting the Sanskrit prayer "Tamaso ma jyotirgamay (lead me from darkness to light)", Modi said he was feeling "blessed" to be back in Varanasi. "For a long time, Kashi's identity has been that of a centre of religion and spirituality but now, it is also set to emerge as a big centre of healthcare with various top-of-the-line health treatment facilities now available in Varanasi," the prime minister said.

"I just visited this eye hospital, it is a blend of spirituality and modernity. This hospital will serve the elderly as well as children," he added. Earlier, as he rose to his feet to give his address, the prime minister bowed down before Kanchi Shankaracharya Sankara Vijayendra Saraswathi, who was also present on the stage. PM Modi Varanasi Visit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Inaugurates RJ Sankara Eye Hospital in Uttar Pradesh (Watch Video).

"With the blessings of the Shankaracharya, Kashi and Purvanchal have got another modern hospital," he said in his speech. The prime minister also remembered one of India's most celebrated investors, Rakesh Jhunjhunla, after whom the eye hospital has been named, on the occasion and called him "his friend". Jhunjhunwala, a prominent figure in the Indian financial market, died in August 2022.

Modi said Jhunjhunwala's family was taking his legacy forward. "I remember that I had requested Sankara Eye Hospital and Chitrakoot Eye Hospital to come to Varanasi. I am thankful to both institutions that they respected the request of the people of Kashi."

Hitting out at previous governments, the prime minister said, "During the rule of the previous governments, health facilities in Purvanchal, including Varanasi, were completely ignored." "A decade ago, there were block-level centres treating encephalitis in Purvanchal. Many children lost their lives, and while the media raised alarms, the government took no action," he charged.

"I am proud to say that in the last 10 years, we have witnessed an unprecedented expansion of healthcare facilities, not just in Kashi but throughout the entire Purvanchal region," Modi said. He said more than 100 centres are now operational in Purvanchal for encephalitis treatment. "In the past decade, more than 10,000 new beds have been added in primary and community healthcare centres across the region," the prime minister added.

Outlining the five pillars of India's healthcare strategy, he said the first pillar focuses on disease prevention, the second on timely diagnosis, the third on providing affordable treatment, the fourth on ensuring access to low-cost care in small towns and the fifth on leveraging technology to enhance healthcare delivery.

"Protecting every individual from illness is a priority of India's health policy," Modi added. "Diseases have the potential to drive the poor deeper into poverty. Over the past decade, 25 crore people have risen out of poverty. However, a serious illness can easily push them back into that cycle. This is why the government is placing significant emphasis on preventing illness in the first place," he said.

"Our government is placing special emphasis on cleanliness, yoga, nutrition, and food security. We have even brought our vaccination campaign directly to people's homes," Modi added. "A healthy and empowered young generation will drive our vision for a developed India," the prime minister said.

The RJ Sankara Eye Hospital is the 17th hospital to be run by the Kanchi Math in the country. The prime minister met with the Shankaracharya of Kanchi before the inauguration. He also paid obeisance at the statue of the former Shankaracharya. The hospital will benefit the people of 20 districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh, as well as those living in the border areas of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, people associated with the Kanchi Math said.