Rs 8 lakh disbursed among wards of AIDS-hit

Our Correspondent

Nurpur, November 3

Under the special financial support scheme of the state government, the Health Department had disbursed Rs 7.99 lakh among the wards of 433 HIV positive parents in Kangra district during the second quarter in the fiscal year.

BM Gupta, Chief Medical Officer, Kangra, said financial assistance ranging from Rs 300 to Rs 800 was being disbursed to children in the age group of 3 to 18 years. “Funds are transferred to the bank accounts of beneficiaries on a quarterly basis. Even banks are assisting beneficiary children by opening their accounts with zero balance,” he asserted.

Dr S Nikhil Gupta, district AIDS programme officer, said the highest number of beneficiaries had been enrolled in the Integrated Counseling and Testing Centre (ICTC), Dehra, where Rs 1,84,800 was disbursed among 100 children. “In Palampur, 90 children were given Rs 1,70,100 followed by the ICTC Nurpur where 62 children were given Rs 1,17,900,” he said.