Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today directed the Departments of Health and Medical Education & Research to chalk out a comprehensive plan for providing additional funds to the Government Medical Colleges in the state which could be utilized optimally as per the requirement for the maintenance of the Hospital attached to them without any sort of inordinate procedural delay.A decision to this effect was taken by Mr. Badal in a meeting with Director Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) Dr. Rajendra A. Badwe, who called on the Chief Minister here at his residence this morning.Expressing concern over the loss of glory of the Government Medical Institutions over past few years due to poor maintenance and dilapidated infrastructure has resulted in perting the general public towards private hospitals for getting health care facilities, Dr. Badwe suggested that it could be more appropriate if state government could evolve some new mechanism giving free hand to the administration of the Medical institutions to utilize these funds on its own as per the felt needs of concerned institution.Dr. Badwe also apprised the Chief Minister about the present status of the Cancer Hospital (Cancer Care facility Centre) at Sangrur, where the construction work was in full swing and about 60% of the construction has been completed. He said that the entire construction work would be completed besides installation of equipments/infrastructure by the end of September this year to make it fully operational by December, 2014.
On the request of Dr. Badwe the Chief Minister also gave his approval to sign MoU between the state government and TMC about the running the Sangrur Centre . Appreciating the relentless efforts of TMC for setting up of this centre, Mr. Badal asked Dr. Badwe to draft the MoU.Regarding the upcoming state-of-the art Rs. 450 crore super specialty Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (HBCHRC) at Mullanpur Dr. Badwe informed that after the completion of tendering process, the construction work would be completed within 28 months. He informed that the Forest department had already planted about 1000 saplings in Along with the boundary of TMC.
Badal said that the state government has already declared a war against the menace of Cancer with an objective to eliminate it with all out efforts to ensure world class best cancer treatment and diagnostic facilities to the patients inflicted with this deadly disease at affordable rates. He also assured Director TMC that state government would also arrange the requisite residential accommodation for the staff members both at Sangrur as well as Mullanpur. The Chief Minister further said that a separate road for Mulanpur hospital would also be constructed for the smooth execution of civil works.Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Advisor to Health and Medical Education Departments Dr. KK Talwar, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. SK Sandhu, Principal Secretary Finance, Health and Family Welfare Mrs. Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary Forest Mr. Vishwajit Khanna, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. Gaggandip Singh Brar, Secretary Housing & Urban Development Mr. A. Venu Prasad, Secretary Medical Education & Research Mr. Rakesh Kumar Verma and CA GMADA Mr. AK Sinha besides other senior officers of various departments.