Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann flags off 58 hi-tech ambulances
Chandigarh, July 28
Reiterating his government’s commitment to providing quality health services to the people, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday flagged off 58 new hi-tech ambulances to serve the people of the state.
Keen on Reviving Vidhan Parishad
CM Bhagwant Mann on Sunday said his government was keen on reviving the Punjab Vidhan Parishad, which ceased to exist in 1970. Mann said he wanted to involve in decision making intellectuals, who did not want to contest poll, but would be an asset for good governance. “I have asked the Advocate General to examine this,” he said.
No political plan for CM’s wife
The CM categorically denied that there was any plan to politically launch his wife Dr Gurpreet Kaur Mann, after her successful campaign for the Jalandhar bypoll. “We went there as family to support the party. She, like other party volunteers, went all out to support the party candidate.Since she is not practising as of now, she is serving people by remaining in the political field,” he said.
The CM, flanked by Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh, dedicated the ambulances to the people of the state. With this addition to the fleet of ambulances, 325 ambulances have been pressed into the service of people to ensure that they get health services in time. These ultra-modern ambulances have been mandated to reach to the needy within 15 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural areas.
These ambulances will work in tandem with the Sadak Surkhya Force to ensure that precious lives of people are saved in cases of emergency. The 58 hi-tech ambulances have been purchased at a cost of Rs 14 crore and are equipped with life-saving drugs and ultra-modern equipment.
Talking to mediapersons, Mann later said the Union Government had stalled state’s Rs 1,000 crore funds under the National Health Mission. “It is not my problem that Punjabis have rejected the BJP. Maybe they are giving vent to their frustration of losing all Lok Sabha seats in Punjab by denying us our dues,” he said.
He said though they were committed to imparting quality health services in the state, the Union Government was hatching conspiracies to deny these to Punjabis. “They have stalled the release of grant under the NHM just to torpedo pro-people initiatives being taken by the state government, as Punjab has a non-BJP government,” he said.
The CM said it was strange that despite immense contribution in the freedom struggle, making the country self-reliant in food production and safeguarding the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the country, Punjab has been completely ignored in the Union Budget.
He said the Niti Aayog meetings were a futile exercise as states did not even get proper time to flag issues of their concern.
