Tamil Nadu CM Stalin's Visit to Nilgiris for Medical College Inauguration

Chennai, April 5 (NationPress) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin will commence a two-day visit to the Nilgiris district beginning Saturday.

He will depart from Chennai to Coimbatore, arriving at 12 pm, and then travel to Nilgiris by road.

Upon arrival, the Chief Minister will be greeted with a grand welcome organized by the Nilgiris District DMK at three locations: Kanchappanai in Kotagiri, Katapettu, and Cherringross in Ooty.

Thousands of DMK supporters are anticipated to be present for the event.

At 7 pm today, CM Stalin will lead a consultative meeting with DMK district executive committee members at a private hotel in Ooty.

The focus of the meeting will be the party’s strategy for the 2026 elections, where the Chief Minister is expected to encourage party members to strive for a clean sweep in the district.

On Sunday, April 6, CM Stalin will depart from the Ooty Guest House at 10 am to inaugurate the new Government Medical College Hospital at Pinker Post in Ooty.

Constructed at a cost of Rs. 143.69 crore, this 700-bed facility is the first of its kind in India’s hilly regions, featuring a 50-bed ward dedicated solely to tribal populations.

Prior to the inauguration, Tamil Development and Information Minister M.P. Saminathan and Nilgiris MP A. Raja inspected the hospital’s infrastructure.

Speaking to the press, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma. Subramanian stated that the inauguration fulfills a long-standing demand for improved healthcare in the Nilgiris.

The hospital will include ten operation theatres, MRI and CT scan centers, along with other modern amenities.

Subramanian also pointed out the state’s investment of Rs. 22 crore to enhance government hospitals in Emerald, Coonoor, and Kotagiri.

Additional infrastructure projects encompass six Ayush wellness clinics across Primary Health Centres (PHCs), four new Sub-Health Centres, extra buildings for PHCs in Theppakkadu and Ithalar, a new Urban Wellness Centre at RK Puram, and ongoing renovations of Gudalur GH with an allocation of Rs. 31 crore.

Since April 2024, over 70 doctors have been appointed in the Nilgiris.

With 36 vacancies recently filled, there are currently no vacant posts in any government hospital within the district.

The Health Department is also aiming to recruit specialist doctors.

During this visit, Stalin will lay the foundation stone for Aavin’s semi-automated cheese plant in Ooty.

Financed by NABARD under the Rural Infrastructure Development Scheme, the Rs. 13.14 crore facility will boast a production capacity of one tonne of cheese daily.

Dr. M. Jayaraman, General Manager of Aavin Nilgiris, stated this will be the only state-run cheese plant in Tamil Nadu, utilizing the region’s favorable climate.

Aavin previously produced 500 kg of cheese manually, but operations were halted three months ago for new machinery installation. The new plant is expected to be operational within four months.

The plant’s output will be distributed through Aavin’s Chennai network, with plans to supply various outlets across Tamil Nadu and cities like Mumbai. Recruitment for operational staff is currently underway, with approvals anticipated soon.

After inaugurating the medical college and laying the foundation stone for the cheese plant, the Chief Minister will proceed to the grounds of Ooty Government Arts College. There, he will take part in a ceremony to distribute welfare assistance, inaugurate completed projects, and lay the groundwork for new initiatives. He will also deliver a keynote address. Following his engagements in the Nilgiris, CM Stalin will return to Coimbatore in the evening and then fly back to Chennai.