Himachal gets central funds for nursing institutes

Shimla, April 26 (IANS) The central government Friday agreed to sanction Rs.17 crore for strengthening infrastructure in four nursing institutes in Himachal Pradesh, a statement said here.

A delegation comprising Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and Health Minister Kaul Singh met Union Health Minister Gulam Nabi Azad in New Delhi and pressed for increasing the funding for central projects and schemes in the state.

Azad decided to immediately release Rs.5 crore to each nursing institute in Mandi, Chamba and Nahan towns and Rs.2 crore for the Kullu institute, said the official statement quoting the chief minister.

At the meeting, Virbhadra Singh pleaded for enhancement of central annual assistance from Rs.155 crore to Rs.205 crore under the National Rural Health Mission, keeping in view its good past performance in implementing schemes.

For improving infrastructure and research facilities in the state's Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital in Shimla, the chief minister demanded that the hospital be covered under the Prime Minister Health Security Scheme.

The central government has allocated Rs.1,187 crore for the health sector this fiscal.