Punjab allocates Rs 1350 Crore for health in Budget

Chandigarh: The Punjab Government has taken a big stride forward to fulfill its commitment of providing better health facilities to people by earmarking Rs 1358 crore in the annual budget which was presented in the Vidhan Sabha.

Expressing gratitude towards Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Health and Medical Education Minister Brahm Mohindra said the budgetary allocation for the health sector is 14.21 per cent higher under Medical and Public Health in 2017-18 against the budget estimates of the year 2016-17. He said despite acute financial constraints, the Punjab government has reasonably increased the financial outlay under various health schemes. Mr Mohindra said the main allocation in health sector included Rs 777 crore for providing affordable and accountable health care services to the community under National Health Mission Programme, Rs 38 crore for providing emergency response services (108-Ambulance Services), medical helpline (104) in the state, Rs 30 crore for treatment of cancer patients under CM Cancer Relief Fund, Rs 100 crore for 'Universal Health Insurance' for the under privileged people, Rs 50 crore for the creation of cancer and drug de-addiction treatment infrastructure, Rs 50 crore for the establishment of Primary Rural Rehabilitation & Drug De-addiction centres in the state. Likewise budgetary allocation of Rs 50 crore has been made for Tertiary Care Cancer Centre.