Major boost to Health infra in J&K
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, April 3: In a major boost to the upgradation of health infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir, the Government of India has released the last tranche of Rs 63.36 crore out of the Rs 900 crore allocated under Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) to Health and Medical Education Department, making it the first department in the Union Territory to receive full allocation of Rs 900 crore under PMDP.
Official sources told Excelsior that Health and Medical Education Department of J&K had been sanctioned a total of Rs 900 crore under the PMDP in the year 2016 and it has now received full amount in multiple tranches for stepping up of support under creation of infrastructure in District hospitals, Sub-District Hospitals and Public Health Centres.
Sources further disclosed that the Department of Health and Medical Education has completed 80 percent of the projects to be covered under PMDP. Giving details about the funds and their utilization, they said that the Department had utilized an amount of Rs 771.09 crores for 144 approved ongoing and new health projects up to October 2019.
“After submission of Utilization Certificate of the same amount to the Union Health Ministry, they have released the final installment of Rs 63.36 crore and with release of this last tranche, the Health and Medical Education has become the first department in the Union Territory of J&K to receive full allocation of Rs 900 crore under PMDP,” they claimed.
They informed that the projects to be covered under the PMDP include augmentation of infrastructure in district hospitals, sub-district hospitals and primary health centres.
Giving further details about the financial status of the projects, sources said that out of 144 projects, 60 projects have been completed both physically as well as financially and are ready to be inaugurated while the remaining 96 projects are at different stages of completion and with the release of the balance amount they are expected to be completed during the current financial year pf 2020-21.
“The new projects and upgradation of earlier projects covered under the PMDP include major hospital projects like 500-bedded New Pediatrics Hospital at Srinagar, 200-bedded New Maternity Hospital at Jammu, New Bones and Joint Hospital at Jammu, District Hospital (DH) Reasi, DH Kishtwar, DH Ramban, DH Samba, 100 bedded Hospital at Kot Bhalwal, 100 bedded hospital at Gangyal (Jammu) and sub district hospitals at R S Pura, Bishnah, Akhnoor, Billawar, Sunderbani, Nowshera, Marwah,” they disclosed.
When contacted, Financial Commissioner, Health & Medical Education Department, Atal Dulloo said it is a big achievement for them as except H&ME no other Department in the UT has been allocated full sanctioned amount under PMDP.
He said with release of the remaining funds under PMDP from Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the ongoing and new health projects in Jammu and Kashmir will receive a major uplift.
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