Chandigarh, May 20 (IANS) In a bid to provide the best healthcare services free of cost, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday announced to launch his government's flagship programne of Mohalla Clinics, with 75 clinics to be dedicated in the first phase on August 15.
Chairing a high-level meeting here, Mann said his government would be fulfilling one of the major poll promises with setting up of these clinics both in urban and rural areas in a phased manner on the pattern of Delhi.
He also gave nod to convert the non-functional Sewa Kendras across the state into Mohalla Clinics, thereby refurbishing such complexes, while directing the Principal Secretary, Public Works, to work out modalities for sprucing-up the interiors of Sewa Kendras so that they could be suitably converted into Mohalla Clinics.
The Chief Minister also suggested forming a cluster of five to six adjoining villages by establishing a Mohalla Clinic at a central location, easily accessible to all.
This would help bringing a majority of people residing in rural areas within the ambit of Mohalla Clinics, he said.
Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, informed the Chief Minister about the already existing network of nearly 3000 sub-centres in rural areas being efficiently manned by the trained paramedic staff headed by Community Health Officers.
He mooted a proposal to convert these sub-centres also into Mohalla Clinics, thus widening its scope and outreach so that the maximum number of people residing in villages could be benefitted from the healthcare initiative.
The meeting witnessed freewheeling interaction by the Prime Minister with the delegation on diverse topics like farmer welfare, youth empowerment, drug free society, National Educational Policy, skilling, employment, technology and Punjab's overall development trajectory.
The students will be provided jobs in Punjab and the UAE, Canada, Europe, Japan and other countries. Sahney is already running two World Skill Centres in New Delhi and Amritsar, providing free skills and jobs to thousands of youth.
The Gurugram police had put up barricades at several entry points on the National Highway, at Shankar Chowk, Iffco Chowk, Signature Tower, Rajiv Chowk and Hero Honda Chowk on the Expressway.
The toffees, according to reports, had been thrown outside their houses and the children picked them and ate them. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief over the incident and ordered a probe and directed officials concerned to provide relief to the bereaved families and take necessary action in the matter.
All the victims were migrant workers from Chapra district Bihar and were asleep when the fire broke out. Barring one, the rest were between 23 and 35 years of age. Short circuit is suspected to have caused the fire.
After paying glowing tributes to legendary martyrs Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev here at state-level function in Hussaniwala, the Chief Minister unveiled the anti-corruption number -- 950 120 0200.
