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Posted on 14 September 2012
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| CURRENT AFFAIRS |
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UTTAR PRADESH |
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Dial 108 for Samajwadi ambulance service
The service launched by the SP has a fleet of 133 ambulances covering 13 districts in its first phase
Virendra Nath Bhatt
Lucknow
Ambulance service in Uttar Pradesh will now carry the tag of the ruling Samajwadi Party. UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday 14 September launched the 'Samajwadi ambulance service' in the state. The ambulance service was launched on the occasion of Yadav's completion of six months in office.
Launching the ambulance service, which can be availed by dialing the toll free number 108, the CM said that “it would be one of the best round the clock services in the country and biggest in the world and it will cover the entire state and available at each of the over 4,000 primary health centres and cover all the villages of the state.” He said that the “ambulances would be free of cost and it will be virtually a moving hospital as they would be equipped with all emergency services and modern gadgets along with medicines.” A fleet of 133 ambulances are being launched in the first phase which will cover 13 districts.
“It is true that the ambulance service will be financed from the centrally sponsored scheme National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). It was well within the jurisdiction of the state government to name the scheme as it deemed fit since it is for the people and funded from the public money’’, said public health and family welfare minister Ahmed Hasan. Meanwhile, Hasan criticised former UP chief minister Mayawati, saying that the “NRHM scam was the worst in the history of UP, where over 5,000 crore were looted and three chief medical officers were murdered”.
Speaking on similar lines, the CM said, “The NRHM scam during the previous BSP regime and the murder of the three chief medical officers brought disrepute to the state. The CBI, which is investigating into the scam and the murder, has so far been unable to work out the murder of the three doctors despite all the technical support.’’ He added, “I want to assure the people of the state that it will take some time but we will clear the mess in the health department and other places left by the previous Mayawati government’’.
Shivpal Singh Yadav, the uncle of the chief minister however issued a statement listing the achievements of the irrigation department he holds. The senior minister who is widely perceived to be the parallel centre of power within the SP government claimed that during the past six months, as many as 1,000 engineers were promoted in service while money was sanctioned for the installation of 3,000 tubewells to facilitate irrigation.
Shivpal Singh Yadav, who also holds the public works department, said that this ambulance services would be well supported by his department who would construct good roads that can reach every village of the state.
Virendra Nath Bhatt is a Special Correspondent with Tehelka.
virendranathbhatt@gmail.com
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