Former Union Health Minister and BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda has said that the country is becoming Atmanirbhar in the health sector. Addressing the gathering at the inauguration of 100 bedded rehabilitation annexe at the SV-NIRTAR at Olatpur under Cuttack district in Odisha on Friday, Mr. Nadda said that India could hold its ground firmly when the health systems of even the developed countries were shaking in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. He said the fact that India, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi could develop not one but two anti-covid vaccines in a bare span of only 9 months is proof enough of an Atmanirbhar Bharat. Describing the Ayushman Bharat as the largest health service scheme in the world, Mr. Nadda said that till date about 50 crore people representing about 40 percent of the country's population have benefitted from it.<br />'' <br />''Mr. Nadda, who was the health minister both in the govt of Himachal Pradesh and later in the govt of India said that during the last 8 years, the country has witnessed not only a significant increase in the number of medical colleges and institutes but also in number of seats both at the undergraduate and postgraduate level. He said that the Modi govt has increased the categories of disability from seven to as many as 21 to benefit the Divyangs. Speaking on the occasion, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar said that the Modi government has taken several steps for the upliftment of the Divyangs that include hiking their reservation percentage from 3 to 4 in govt jobs and to 5 in the education sector. Gracing the occasion, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that under the Modi govt, the very definition of the differently-abled people has undergone a sea change which is easily discernible in the word Divyang. He said that with necessary support from the Ministry of social justice and empowerment, the Ministry of Education may work towards making the SV-NIRTAR a Deemed University which now is affiliated to Utkal University.