Chandigarh, Nov 18 (IANS) With a view to ensure better healthcare, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday announced the 'Mukh Mantri Punjab Motia Mukt Abhiyan' which would commence from November 26 across the state.
The Chief Minister said in line with the scheme, eye camps would be organised throughout the state where the eye sight of the people would be thoroughly checked and those found suffering from the cataract problem would be operated upon after a period of 15 days.
"The transportation facility must be provided to the people in order to pick them up and drop at their homes. Besides, refreshments would also be ensured for the people undergoing operations," said the Chief Minister, adding free spectacles would also be provided to those operated upon.
The Chief Minister said adequate publicity in order to ensure that it success of the campaign as well as spreading awareness is the need of the hour.
"The Chief Secretary is to hold meeting with all the Deputy Commissioners in this regard," added Channi.
In another important announcement, the Chief Minister said the devotees who hold valid permits for travel to Sri Kartarpur Sahib would be allowed free travel in the state government buses on the day of their travel.
Channi took oath of office along with his two deputies -- one a Jat Sikh and another belonging to the Hindu community -- at a simple ceremony here in the Punjab capital that was delayed for 20 minutes owing to the late arrival of party leader Rahul Gandhi.
Jasbir Singh Virk, president of Bhartiya Sikh Sangthan, has underlined the need to intensify the ongoing farmers' agitation and said that there was a need to shore up strength at the Delhi borders.
Punjab BJP President Ashwani Sharma told IANS that to control infighting in its party state unit, the Congress leadership made Channi ji (Charanjit Singh Channi) the Punjab Chief Minister but insulted the Dalit community by not allowing him to lead the party in the upcoming state Assembly polls.
The government and drug controller's office will have to take a decision on the third booster dose based on data and cases as times goes on and including how effective the vaccine is on the Delta virus variant, he added.
The petitioner said the state had passed the Punjab Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes (Reservation in Services) Act of 2006 but it has never implemented it in case of appointment in judicial services.