Union Minister of State for Health and
Family Welfare Santosh Chowdhary today asked the Punjab Government to
remove photographs of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal from ambulances
being run with the help of central funds.
Talking to mediapersons at the nearby Gandhwan village, she said the state government would have to remove the photographs if it wanted to continue receiving the funds.
"Due time is being given for compliance of instructions...photographs are contrary to central norms. I am waiting for a feedback (from the state) and will initiate action after that," she said.
The minister said guidelines to states issued on March 16 had made it clear that politicians' photos on ambulances deployed for public service under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) would not be allowed.
The guidelines also said that if this were not adhered to, the Union Government would discontinue the financial support to the ambulances.The Centre had provided 240 air-conditioned ambulances to Punjab in 2011.
The minister asked the state government to improve infrastructure in hospitals for poor patients. Defending the promulgation of ordinance on food security as historic, she lauded Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for it.
Talking to mediapersons at the nearby Gandhwan village, she said the state government would have to remove the photographs if it wanted to continue receiving the funds.
"Due time is being given for compliance of instructions...photographs are contrary to central norms. I am waiting for a feedback (from the state) and will initiate action after that," she said.
The minister said guidelines to states issued on March 16 had made it clear that politicians' photos on ambulances deployed for public service under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) would not be allowed.
The guidelines also said that if this were not adhered to, the Union Government would discontinue the financial support to the ambulances.The Centre had provided 240 air-conditioned ambulances to Punjab in 2011.
The minister asked the state government to improve infrastructure in hospitals for poor patients. Defending the promulgation of ordinance on food security as historic, she lauded Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for it.
