Tata Group to foray into health care sector

Tata Group chairman emeritus Ratan Tata has decided to work for improving maternal and child health care in a big way. With Rajasthan as the launching pad, Tata met chief minister Vasundhara Raje in Jaipur on Wednesday.

Tata was accompanied by Ashok Alexander, formerly associated with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and two other experts.

Alexander, a Tata Trust official, gave an hour- long presentation before Raje, who was accompanied by her health minister Rajendra Rathore and chief secretary Rajiv Mehrishi.

After the meeting, Raje tweeted, "Delighted to meet Ratan Tata & Ashok Alexander with the agenda of transforming maternal and child health care scenario in Rajasthan. I look forward to a relationship that will strengthen the health sector and in better way." Tata made it clear that on the basis of Rajasthan experience, he would like to take up the ' Rajasthan Model' in other states. " Tata Trust has special desire to work for mother and child health sector in different states, and this would be first begin in Rajasthan," an official spokesman said here quoting Tata. Rathore said, " In persuasion with the Wednesday's interface, a pilot project would be taken up by the Tata Trust in few select district in Rajasthan to check high maternal and infant mortality rate." Apprising Tata, Raje said, " If the government and the private sector jointly work in the health sector, a goal related to millennium development be achieved.

We hope with Tata Trust, the Rajasthan government could attain it very easily."Tata also visited the manufacturing facility of famous Jaipur Foot at the world's largest organisation for handicapped Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti ( BMVSS). Sir Dorabji Tata Trust is funding BMVSS in providing artificial limbs and also tricycles for the handicapped.

Courtesy: Mail Today