Visakhapatnam: BJP MP meets Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, seeks support for construction of Sainik Bhawan, Rest House

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], May 10 : BJP Rajya Sabha MP GVL Narasimha Rao on Wednesday met with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and highlighted the urgency for the need to construct a Sainik Bhawan and Sainik Rest house in Visakhapatnam.

Stating that Visakhapatnam is the headquarters of Eastern Naval Command and has a large population of Ex-Servicemen (ESM) living there, MP GVL bemoaned that an important defence station as Visakhapatnam lacks even basic infrastructure for serving the needs of Ex-Servicemen.

"The Zilla Sainik Welfare Office (Zilla Sainik Board) operates from a dilapidated building with not even basic facilities and there is no Sk rest house in Visakhapatnam city where hundreds of Ex-Servicemen go regularly from nearby districts for treatment," MP GVL mentioned in a letter submitted to the Minister.

Regretting the state government's neglect of the needs of the Ex-Servicemen, MP GVL sought urgent intervention from the Defence Minister to have land and funds sanctioned for the construction of a new, full-fledged Sainik building and a Sainik rest house in Visakhapatnam.

MP GVL also highlighted the need for improved health facilities for Ex-Servicemen and serving personnel in Visakhapatnam.

The present medical infrastructure and facilities for Ex-Servicemen in Visakhapatnam are grossly inadequate to serve a large number of 43,000 ESIS cardholders and their dependents. To improve the health care facilities for Ex-Servicemen, MP GVL requested the establishment of another polyclinic for Visakhapatnam and the upgradation of the present polyclinic (to at least Type-B) with proper infrastructure and staffing.

He also sought the upgradation of INHS Kaly Hospital, Visakhapatnam from 206 beds to 604 beds to serve the needs of serving and ESM community and reduce dependence on empanelled hospitals.

MP GVL Narasimha Rao also offered to contribute Rs.50 lakhs from his MPLADS funds towards the construction of any of the above buildings or for the purchase of one or two mobile polyclinic vans for serving the needs of the ESM community.

"If need be, we can also mobilize some CSR funds for the purpose," MP GVL noted in his letter to the Defence Minister.

Commenting on the meeting, MP GVL Narasimha Rao expressed happiness that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh responded positively and assured have the grievances examined soon.