In a novel initiative on the occasion of Ram Navmi, the Mahavir Mandir Trust, which runs the revered Mahavir Mandir, has offered totally free treatment to all cancer patients up to the age of 18 years and children who are born with holes in hearts.

Trust secretary Kishor Kunal said hitherto the cancer patients got highly subsidised treatment at the Mahavir Cancer Sansthan, but now it would be totally free.

The Trust, which runs 12 big institutions including hospitals and orphanage, has submitted a budget of Rs 215.13-crore for the year 2017-18 to the Bihar state board of religious trusts. In the financial year 2017-18, over eight-lakh kilogrammes of Naivedyam worth Rs 19.27-crore were sold from the temple, accruing a net profit of Rs 7.51-crore to the temple trust.

“On Ram Navmi, it is the main attraction for the pilgrims, second only to Ayodhya on Ram Navami day. More than 3 lakhs pilgrims are expected to visit the temple and more than 20,000 kgs of Naivedyam (Laddoos) will be sold on the Ram Navami,” said Kunal, elaborate arrangement been made for the Ram Navami on April 13

Kunal said that the trust had plans to extend this facility to the cancer patients up to the age of 35 years in future.

“All the three big hospitals, Mahavir Arogya Sansthan, Mahavir Cancer Sansthan and the Mahavir Vatsalya Hospital, are now registered with the Ayushman Bharat scheme, making treatment cashless for the below poverty line (BPL) patients, but now even those above BPL will also get free treatment for the two ailments,” he added.

In addition, Mahavir Vastsalya Asptal will provide free treatment and operation to all children who are born with holes in hearts. “It has 60 NICU beds for new born children. Every bed is provided with a ventilator,” he added.

“At the Mahavir Cancer Sansthan all 600 indoor patients get three times meal free of cost and one unit of blood at a nominal charge of Rs. 100 only. The temple trust provides Rs. 15,000 to every applicant patient who is below the age of 18 or belongs to the BPL category and provides Rs. 10,000 to each applicant of the cancer disease irrespective of caste and creed,” he added.

Besides, Kunal said the trust started ‘Sita Rasoi’ to provide free meals to all pilgrims visiting the birth-site of Sitaji. It was introduced on January 27, 2019 on the auspicious occasion of the Ramanand Jayanti. “Similarly, Ram Rasoi will be provided to all pilgrims visiting the birthplace of Ram at Ayodhya,” he added.

Among other initiatives, the trust has plans to start bus service between Sitamarhi and Janakpur via Haleshwar Sthan and Panth Paker from Janaki Navami, i.e. May 13, 2019 and a similar service from Sitamarhi to Chitrakoot via Ayodhya. “We have a few more philanthropic projects under consideration, which we will announce later,” he said.

First Published: Apr 13, 2019 08:47 IST