Health sector allocation up 11%; 142 new clinics

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Chandigarh, March 10

The government has made a provision of Rs 4,781 crore for Health and Family Welfare in 2023-24. The amount will be 11 per cent higher than 2022-23, said Finance Minister Harpal Cheema in his Budget speech today.

646 Aam Aadmi Clinics

“As many as 142 new Aam Aadmi Clinics will be operational in the next few days, taking the total number to 646 within one year after forming the government.” — Harpal Cheema, FM

As many as 142 new Aam Aadmi Clinics will be operational “in the next few days”, taking the total number to 646 within one year after forming the government, the minister said.

More than 10.50 lakh patients have availed the OPD services at these clinics, which offer 41 free-of-cost diagnostic tests and medicines. The state will be spending Rs 43 crores on setting up as many as seven new maternal and child care hospitals.

Two new medical colleges with 100 MBBS seats each, at Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur, are being set up at a cost of Rs 422 crore and Rs 412 crore, respectively. The State Cancer Institute at Government Medical College, Amritsar, at a cost of Rs 119 crore and Cancer Care Centrein Fazilka at a cost of Rs 46 crore are expected to start very soon, Cheema said.

The Budget has the provision for Rs 100 crore for setting up a Trauma Centre at Government Medical College, Amritsar, and at Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, at a total cost of Rs100crore in the

FY 2023-24.