TN earmarks Rs 3391 cr for healthcare

The Tamil Nadu government has allocated Rs 3,391 crore for health and family care for the year 2009-10, up from Rs 2,741 crore a year ago.

According to a health department’s policy note, presented in the Assembly by health minister MRK Panneerselvam, allocation for the healthcare segment increased 128 per cent from Rs 1,487 crore in 2005-06.

A sum of Rs 517 crore has been allocated for an insurance scheme to cover 10 million people living below poverty line. The scheme will allow them to access specialist treatment up to Rs 1 lakh for 51 life threatening diseases. A provision of Rs 143.69 crore has been made towards the ESI scheme.

The minister also said that General Hospital in Chennai would be expanded at a cost of Rs 70 crore on the Central Jail land, which is being demolished. Similarly, government hospitals in Salem and Madurai would be upgraded at a cost of Rs 200 crore and Rs 150 crore respectively.

Besides, another Rs 160 crore would be spent on constructing additional buildings for various hospitals across the sate. The department will also carry out civil works with an outlay of Rs 325 crore in the state hospitals.

A mega blood bank, which will be Asia’s biggest, will be constructed at a cost of Rs 400 crore in Chennai, said the minister. The government is also planning to set up medical colleges in Villipuram, Tiruvarur and Sivaganai with an outlay of around Rs 298 crore.