Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday inaugurated the Bengaluru campus of Adichunchanagiri University (ACU), which has been built on 16 acres of land at a cost of Rs 200 crore, in Bengaluru, Karnataka, an official communique said.
Addressing a gathering on the occasion, Shah said that the core principle of Indian culture is ‘Sarva Jan Hitaya, Sarva Jan Sukhaya’, which means thinking not only about oneself but also about the welfare and happiness of all.
Adichunchanagiri Mutt is doing excellent work by running health centres in villages, providing free treatment for the poor, and establishing educational centres for children, the Union Minister observed. He said the facility would provide education for 4,000 students.
The 1,000-bed modern hospital on the campus is equipped with all healthcare facilities and will truly become a great medium of service by offering free and affordable treatment to the poor along with education, Shah observed.
The Union Home Minister said the monastic institution has connected many poor and middle-class families with spirituality and ‘Karma Yoga’ through service.
He said that the Mutt has successfully brought together people from all sections of society based on nine pillars – Anna (food), Akshara (education), Arogya (health), Adhyatmika (spirituality), Aashraya (shelter), Aranya (environment), Aakaalu (disaster relief), Anukampa (compassion), and Anubandh (tie-up).
This, the minister said, has not only strengthened spirituality, religion, and culture within society but also reinforced social unity, setting a remarkable example for other religious institutions.
Shah said the Mutt is moving forward by blending innovation with tradition. On one hand, it connects children and youth with our traditions and culture, while on the other, it provides them with the most modern education, helping them secure a respectable place in society, he added.
The Union Home Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had once said that the biggest problem leading to poverty is illness, and the biggest reason for continued illness is the cost of treatment. Prime Minister Modi had said that the government should make arrangements for the treatment of the poor, the minister added.
Shah said that after becoming Prime Minister, Narendra Modi fulfilled that commitment, and today the Government of India is providing facilities of free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh for 60 crore people.
He said that Prime Minister Modi has addressed the country’s health issues with a holistic approach. Nearly 12 crore toilets have been constructed in households, the Fit India Movement was launched, the International Day of Yoga was initiated, and under Mission Indradhanush, free vaccination has been arranged for children from birth to 15 years of age.
Through the ‘Poshan Abhiyan’, concern for the nutrition of mothers and children was addressed, paving the way for building a healthy citizenry.
In addition, under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana, all medicines are being made available at 20 percent of the market price at 15,000 locations, he added.