Trauma Care Scheme extended

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the extension of the Trauma Care Scheme during the remaining period of the 12th Plan with total expenditure of Rs. 899.29 crore, inclusive of a recurring expenditure of Rs. 234.52 crore.

The availability of these dedicated trauma centres with specialised and skilled manpower will help in reducing incidence of deaths and disabilities due to road accidents.

The CCEA has approved the establishment of 85 trauma centres (5 level-l; 25 level-ll; and 55 level-Ill) in government hospitals on national and state highways, preferably in accident prone areas. These 85 trauma centres would be implemented with an estimated cost of Rs. 534.64 crore on cost sharing basis between the centre and states in the ratio of 70:30 and in the case of the North-East and Hill States of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir in the ratio of 90:10 during the remaining period of the 12th Plan.

The CCEA has also given its approval for completion of 27 trauma centres of the 11th Plan Scheme of which work was started on 12 trauma centres during the 11th Plan period, at an estimated cost of Rs. 306.81 crore. The CCEA further approved to incur an expenditure of Rs. 57.84 crore on supporting activities to be carried out by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The funding for the 11th Plan centres would be on 100 per cent central grant in aid basis to the States, except in the case of 15 centres where work could not commence during the 11th Plan, where funding would be on the aforementioned cost sharing basis. The savings accruing on account of cost sharing would be utilized for establishing additional trauma centres during the said Plan period.