Centre to set up 100 'aushadhi kendras' in Haryana

The Centre plans to set up 100 'aushadhi kendras' in government hospitals in Haryana for facilitation of cancer and AIDS patients, Union Minister Ananth Kumar said today.
The Central government would bear the cost of setting up these kendras, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers said, while speaking after laying the foundation stone of the Bentonite Sulphur Plant here today.
Later, he also inaugurated the NFL Kisan Sewa Kendra.
Kumar said on the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a scheme has been prepared under which the prices of 450 essential medicines have been reduced by Rs 100 to Rs 30 or 40.

These would be made available at these 'aushadhi kendras' and would benefit cancer and AIDS patients, he said.
Kumar disclosed that the National Fertilisers Limited (NFL) earned a record profit of Rs 195 crore in 2015-16.

As many as 2,000 Kisan Sewa Kendras would be set up by the NFL across the country where fertilisers, seeds, pesticides and test kits would be provided to the farmers under one roof, he said, adding about 25,000 metric tonnes of bentonite sulphur would be produced at the plant, the construction work on which would be completed within the next 13 months.
It would be inaugurated by the Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar next year, an official release said.

Sulphur would add to the nutritional value of the crops, reduce acidity of the cultivable land and help in maintaining balance in the quantities of other chemical fertilisers, it said.
Highlighting the "great strides" made by Haryana in terms of development, the Union minister said the development works being carried out in the state were being "appreciated by not only the Prime Minister but also by the rest of the world".
Speaking on the occasion, Khattar reiterated the Central and state governments' commitment towards "safeguarding the interests of the farmers" and said that completion of the plant at Panipat would greatly benefit the farmers, especially the horticulturalists.

It would also reduce the need to import bentonite Ssulphur, he said.
While NFL presently provides employment to more than 1,200 persons, the plant would lead to further generation of employment opportunities, Khattar said.