Akhilesh announces free ambulance service for poor

"The government has decided that free ambulance service will be provided to people, who are financially weak and cannot pay for the same. Admission fee of Rs 35 being charged from the patients has also been waived off," he said while inaugurating UP Ambulance Service here.

He said that initially 200 ambulances were being introduced and by October all 972 vehicles would be pressed into service.

"Time will come when there will be one ambulance at every block and this was promised in the SP manifesto. Soon 108 number service will also be started," he said.

Akhilesh said that the manner in which a scam took place in National Rural Health Mission and doctors were killed brought disrepute to the state.

"Fingers were raised on the state in NRHM scam and it got defamed in the entire country," he said.

He said that how doctors were killed was still being probed and so far CBI has also been unable to solve the mystery.

"Several fingers were raised, but we assure that in SP government people will get doctors, medicines and proper treatment," he said.

"The intention is to ensure that poor and destitute get medicines and treatment and we will make efforts in this direction," he said.

The CM said that it was often said that doctors were not reaching in rural areas.

"How will they when there is acute shortage of not even doctors, but also nurses and para medical staff. The previous government took no decision in this direction," he said.

Akhilesh said that the SP government has made a fresh beginning and assured that efforts would be made that closed medical colleges become functional by next year and new para medical institutes would be opened.

Speaking on the occasion, state Health Minister Ahmad Hasan said that stern action would be taken against corrupts.

"I will like to ensure that no scam will take place and every paisa will be utilised honestly. SP came to power on the issue of corruption and it will root it out," he said.

PWD Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav said that there was shortage of medicines and doctors in the hospitals, but efforts were being made to rectify it.

"It is the effort of the CM and the government that whatever schemes are there should reach the people and they are benefited," he said.