Reiterating the firm commitment of SAD-BJP alliance government to impart quality health services to the people, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today said that the state government would soon start a new scheme to provide healthcare diagnostic services to the people at their doorsteps. Addressing a mammoth gathering after inaugurating the state of the art Advanced Cancer Institute here today, the Chief Minister, accompanied by Union Food Processing Minister Mrs Harsimrat Kaur Badal, said that the scheme for providing door to door check up facilities to people was on cards. He said that the sole aim of scheme was to ensure proper health check up of the residents of state adding that in the initial stage this scheme would be applicable on tests of life style diseases like diabetes and blood pressure. Badal said that the state government would soon finalize the entire plan of this scheme. Laying stress on living a quality life, the Chief Minister advised the people to have simple food and exercise daily. He also advised people to regularly get their health check up done so as to ensure diagnosis of any disease at early stage. This would help in loving a healthy and long life by every one of you, he added.Highly elated over the inauguration of Advanced Cancer Institute, the Chief Minister said that this project has been completed in its stipulated timeframe at a cost of Rs 400 crore. Mr. Badal envisioned this centre as a hub of quality cancer treatment to provide diagnostic, treatment and research facilities to the patients of this fatal disease.
He said that this centre would reverse the trend of cancer patients going to other states for cancer treatment adding that now patients from across the country would visit the state for availing quality cancer treatment.Listing the major initiatives taken by the state government to check this fatal disease, the Chief Minister said that this advanced cancer treatment would impart quality cancer treatment to people at par with TMC, Mumbai. He said that state government has made concerted efforts to provide quality cancer treatment facilities at Amritsar, Patiala, Faridkot, Sangrur and other districts of state. Likewise, Mr. Badal said that quality cancer treatment was being provided to patients in empanelled hospitals adding that state government has disbursed Rs 401 crore to around 32000 cancer patients under Chief Minister’s cancer relief fund.The Chief Minister said that only SAD-BJP alliance government was the true sympathizer of the people of state as no other government has ever worked for well being of the residents of state. He said that for the first time the state government has given huge concessions in sectors of farming, industry and healthcare sectors. Mr. Badal also said that for the first time a health insurance of Rs 50000 has been started for the people adding that very soon around 2000 medical stores would be opened across the state for providing free medicines to chronic patients across the state.
The Chief Minister said that the state was frontrunner in sectors of Education and Healthcare services. However, in order to give more fillip to ongoing development works in the state, he solicited the fulsome support and cooperation from general public. Mr. Badal said that this would help in ensuring quality work in stipulated time period.Earlier in her address, the Union Food Processing Minister Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal said that under the able and visionary leadership of Chief Minister the state had scripted new success stories in every field. She said that due to commitment of the Chief Minister, today Bathinda district had emerged as a hub of education, healthcare and industry. Mrs. Badal also lauded the state government for starting several pro-people schemes like Mai Bhago Vidya Scheme, Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Beema Yojna, Cancer Relief Fund, free education to girl students and others.The Union Minister said that no other state or Chief Minister could match the dedication of Mr. Badal in ensuring welfare of every strata of society. She said that Punjab has been immensely benefitted by the rule of BJP led NDA government at the centre. Mrs. Badal said that Punjab has got All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Heritage Status for Amritsar, Smart City project, Rs 40000 crore for construction of roads adding that Bathinda airport would also be operational soon.Later on interacting with media persons on sidelines of function, the Chief Minister said that the announcement of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to equate election manifesto with sacred granths has deeply bruised the psyche of every countrymen. He said that this announcement of AAP reflects the poor mindset of its leadership.
Mr. Badal said that the apology being offered by AAP leaders on this issue was of no use as it could not undo the damage done by them.On a query regarding announcement of fast onto death by Congress leader Mr. Sunil Jakhar, the Chief Minister, while posing three questions to Congress leader, asked him that who approved the Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) canal project, who laid the foundation of this project and who rejoiced and welcomed the opening of this project.
Mr. Badal said that Congress leaders were just shedding crocodile tears on this issue whereas reality was that they were the main culprits of great injustice with Punjabis. He said that after hanging the people of Punjab, the Congress leadership was now raising hue and cry over this issue just for vested political interests. “As the matter is in Apex court so the Union government can hardly do anything in this matter” added Mr. Badal.The Chief Minister reiterated that both Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were hobnobbing with each other to snatch legitimate share of Punjab's water. He said that while Congress had in past signed various water agreements to deprive state of its legitimate share in river water; the AAP was now trying its level best to ensure that these agreements were implemented at the earliest. Mr. Badal said that it was a known fact that both these parties were hell bent upon turning the state into desert by depriving it of water.Prominent amongst other present on the occasion included Cabinet Ministers Mr Anil Joshi and Mr Surjit Kumar Jiyani, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mr Sarup Chand Singla, MLAs Mr Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu and Mr Darshan Singh Kotfatta, Advisor Health Dr KK Talwar, Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare Ms Vinnie Mahajan, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr KJS Cheema, Secretary Local Government Mr Vikas Pratap, Special Secretary Health Mr Vikas Garg and Deputy Commissioner Dr Basant Garg.