Punjab Assembly passes resolution against 'exorbitantly-priced medicines'
Darpan News Desk IANS, 09 Mar, 2023 04:07 PM
Chandigarh, March 9 (IANS) The Punjab Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a non-official resolution to take up the matter of fleecing common people by exorbitantly priced medicines with the Central government.
The resolution was moved by MLA Charanjit Singh during the ongoing budget session of the Assembly here.
After the reply by Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh, all members present in the House passed the non-official resolution to recommend this matter to the Central government.
During his reply, Balbir Singh appreciated the resolution moved by Charanjit Singh and said the issue was already in his mind.
He said even he had recently brought this matter into the notice of Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who visited Patiala a few days back.
He said cancer drugs have already been regulated by the government, but non-scheduled drugs and e-pharmacies are yet to be regulated.
He said till these drugs get regulated the easiest way to provide affordable medicines to the common people is by opening maximum 'Jan Aushadhi Kendras' in the state.
He said there are 25 Jan Aushadhi Kendras in the state and 16 more have been approved, which will be opened soon. He also urged all MLAs to maximum exhort people to open these centres in their constituencies, which will not only provide affordable medicines to the common people, but will also help generating employment.
"Health is fundamental right of every person and it is the duty of the state and the Central government to provide world-class quality healthcare managed and funded by the government," said Balbir Singh, while adding Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led government is committed to provide the holistic healthcare facilities in the state.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak said the closure of mandis in the state will be done in a phased manner from May 5. The notification in this regard would be issued by the Mandi Board.
The appeal was made by Modi, while making a statement following talks with the Danish Prime Minister in Copenhagen, where he reached on the second leg of his three-nation European tour.
Speaking at a meeting of the PLC candidates who contested the recent Assembly elections in Punjab, he said given the geopolitical situation previaling in the world in view of the Russia-Ukraine war, the country needs a stable, mature and strong leadership, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is providing.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also argued that the mercy petition cannot be decided until the appeals filed by other convicts in the case before the apex court are not disposed of. Also, Rajoana has not challenged his conviction or sentence, either before the high court or the Supreme Court
Earlier, four persons, including two Afghanistan nationals, were arrested by the NCB. The fifth accused Shamim Ahmad was arrested from from Laxmi Nagar. A person called Shahid controlled the hawala racket of Dubai. Seeing that Shamim had good links with middlemen working in Dubai, Shahid included him in his gang.
