Industrialist Ratan Tata partenred with Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday in launching cancer hospitals in Assam under the Assam Cancer Care Foundation – a collective initiative of the state government and the Tata trusts.

Mr. Tata said at the event: “I dedicate my last years to health.”

He appealed the governments to make Assam “a state that recognised and was recognised by all”.

Seven state-of-the-art cancer hospitals under the Assam Cancer Care Foundation – a project that is building 17 cancer hospitals across the state was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.

Tweet from PM: “In the Dibrugarh programme, 7 cancer hospitals across Assam will be inaugurated and the foundation stone for 7 more cancer hospitals will be laid. Such upgradation of healthcare facilities across Assam is unprecedented and will help the people tremendously.”

Under phase one of the project, the construction of seven hospitals have been completed out of 10. The other three hospitals are at various levels of construction, news agency ANI reported. The completed hospitals are at Dibrugarh, Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Darrang, Tezpur, Lakhimpur and Jorhat.

Phase 2 of the project would see construction of seven more cancer hospitals at Dhubri, Nalbari, Goalpara, Nagaon, Sivasagar, Tinsukia and Golaghat. PM Modi laid the foundation stone for these centres on Thursday.

Prime Minister also said at the inauguration: “Today, 7 new cancer hospitals have been inaugurated in Assam. There was a time, even one hospital being opened in 7 years was a thing to celebrate. Times have changed now. I’ve been told three more cancer hospitals will be ready for your service in a few months.”

He also added: “Hospitals are at your service but I will be happy if these new hospitals remain empty; I pray for your health… our government has also focussed on preventive healthcare with yoga, fitness and swachhata. New testing centres are also being opened up in the country.”