Rs 23 cr disbursed from HP CM's relief fund

Dhumal, who viewed a film produced by Public Relations department on CM's relief fund, said there were numerous example of people who were in dire need of money for their treatment.

Four years ago Seema Sood of Palampur, a post graduate in science from BITS Pilani, had appealed the President of India for "mercy killing" as she was bed ridden due to severe arthritis and had no money for treatment, with her ageing mother as only support.

"I came to know about her plight through media and got in touch and sent her Rs one lakh initially from the Chief Minister Relief fund. When she told me that she requires bigger amount, I committed the same and paid her treatment expenses of over Rs 8 lakhs at Fortis hospital in Mohali from the fund and today she can move with a walker and has a desire to live," Dhumal said.

Sangya, a primary school teacher said, "I have some heart problem and the chief minister sanctioned Rs 50,000 for my treatment and I will be fine soon".

The needy also included some meritorious students who wanted funds for higher studies.

"I sanction Rs five to seven lakhs from this fund every day. The best part is that we give it quickly. We have keep around nine-ten lakhs permanently with Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) authorities so that any poor patient who need help in emergency can be treated. The doctors have been asked to decide on their own," Dhumal said.

He recalled that while in Opposition, he had written to the then Congress chief minister to sanction money for a poor man, whose daughter had a hole in heart and her treatment at AIIMS was costing Rs 60,000.

However, the then chief minister wrote to Patwari instead to submit a report and the girl died in the meantime, Dhumal claimed.