Centre releases Rs 6.28 cr for annual Amarnath Yatra

Centre has granted Rs 6.28 Crore to Jammu and Kashmir government to ensure best Medicare facilities for this year's Amarnath Yatra, a state minster said today.
Minister of State for Health, Shabir Ahmed Khan has said that Union Ministry for Health and Family Welfare has released Rs 6.28 crore to the State under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) for making adequate healthcare arrangements for the visiting pilgrims during this year's Amarnath Yatra.
In this regard, the Minister has asked the concerned authorities to ensure time bound completion of all the codal formalities for establishment of necessary health care infrastructure at designated points including base camps at Phalgam and Baltal, besides other camps enroute to the cave, stressing that no yatari should face any inconvenience in getting healthcare services during the pilgrimage.

The Minister said that out of the total allocation of Rs 6.28 crore, Rs 1.95 crore have been sanctioned for purchase of pre-fabricated structures for setting up Medical Aid Centers and Emergency Aid Centers on both routes, while Rs 84 Lacs would be spent on creating infrastructure for Medical facilities at base camp hospitals of Phalgam and Baltal.
The Health Minister said that Rs 1.99 crore would be incurred on purchase of Medical equipments, while Rs 1.50 crore on purchase of Drugs for providing hassle free health care facilities to the pilgrims during the Yatra period.
He further informed that Center has also released Rs 54 Lacs to provide incentives to the medicos and Para medicos deployed on duty during the Yatra period.

The Minister exhorted upon the concerned health authorities to initiate the process immediately to ensure that all necessary arrangements are made well in time to avoid any inconvenience to the Yatris adding that any negligence in this regard would be viewed seriously as providing quality and hassle free healthcare facilities to the pilgrims was priority of the Government.