Punjab submits plan of over Rs 669 cr under NHM to Centre

Punjab government has submitted a Programme Implementation Plan proposal under National Health Mission (NHM) amounting to Rs 669.81 crore to the Centre.

Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani said this in an official release, adding many new initiatives have been proposed in the plan for 2016-17.

This includes Rs 61 crore to strengthen infrastructure including Mother Child Health Wing at Government Medical College Faridkot, 20 bed each at Sub Divisional Hospital Dasuya (Hoshiarpur) and Malerkotla (Sangrur) and 30 bed each at district hospitals in Moga, Sangrur and Nakodar (Jalandhar).

Besides, a proposal for free diagnostics, tests to the tune of Rs 43.2 crore including Rs 14 crore for equipment to strengthen the laboratories has been submitted by the state, the release said.

The state's proposal also included Rs 70 crore for free drug and national iron plus initiatives and another Rs 70 crore for Maternal & Child Health Programme including free services to pregnant women.

It also includes a new initiative of free screening and treatment of thyroid for all pregnant women attending public health facilities, it said.

Rs 18.35 crore has been earmarked for screening of school children, treatment of complicated diseases and counselling services to adolescents, the minister said.

Among the other new initiatives proposed by the state include free diagnostics, reduction of anaemia among women and adolescent girls, he said.

The state has been able to ensure 100 per cent utilisation of Central funds allocated in the fiscal 2015-16, Jyani said.

He said that due to good performance and compliance of the conditionality of approvals, Punjab would get an additional financial incentive of 10 per cent (approximately Rs 50 crore) as a reward, over and above the resource envelope approved for the year 2016-17 from the Union Ministry of Health.