Darjeeling MP Raju Bista today urged the central government to establish an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Siliguri, highlighting the severe healthcare challenges faced by north Bengal.
Speaking in Parliament, Mr Bista pointed out that the northern districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, and Malda are home to nearly 3 crore people, many of whom struggle to access quality medical care.
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“The majority of our residents work in tea gardens, cinchona plantations, or agriculture, earning low wages. They cannot afford private hospitals, and government-run facilities in North Bengal suffer from a severe shortage of doctors, nurses, staff, and essential medical equipment. For most, travelling to distant cities for treatment is financially impossible,” he told the House.
Mr Bista also criticised the West Bengal government for not implementing the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which, he said, has left the poorest and most marginalised communities without essential healthcare support.
He stressed that Siliguri is strategically located at the heart of North Bengal, well-connected by air, rail, and road, making it the ideal hub for an AIIMS. “Thousands already travel to Siliguri for basic treatment. An AIIMS here would greatly benefit North Bengal as well as patients from eastern Bihar, parts of Sikkim, and lower Assam,” he said.
The demand for an AIIMS in Siliguri has been a long-standing issue, with political leaders and local stakeholders repeatedly calling for improved healthcare infrastructure in the region.
