Calling Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre a supreme gift by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the state, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, on Wednesday, said it will help the cancer affected state especially Malwa region in combating the fatal disease effectively.

“In common parlance the Punjabis are even afraid of taking the name of cancer as its treatment is too costly. But this centre will go a long way in ensuring accessible and affordable cancer treatment to the region” said the CM while thanking the prime minister for the hospital.

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Addressing a gathering at the inauguration of the hospital by Modi, Mann described the step as a historic initiative which, he said will help the state in its crusade against cancer. He underlined that though the state has played a key role in making the country self-reliant in food, due to excessive use of pesticides and insecticides, Punjabis have fallen prey to cancer.

The CM asserted that this hospital will not only provide treatment to cancer patients but will also help in ensuring its prevention through extensive research.

He noted that the newly set up centre at Mullanpur in SAS Nagar (Mohali) will be a milestone in providing quality cancer treatment not only to patients from Punjab but also to the patients from neighbouring states like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan.

The CM called out the previous regimes for their alleged failure to resolve law and order issues which he said were initially faced by the state government. Now things are completely under control, he claimed.

Mann said with the support of Central para military force, the Punjab Police is keeping a strict vigil to foil the nefarious designs of forces inimical to peace, progress and prosperity of Punjab.

The CM also solicited fulsome support and cooperation from the Union government for effectively checking the cross border smuggling of drugs and arms through drones.