The Congress Government in Himachal Pradesh on Monday formally announced that the name of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee would be removed from the free ambulance service in the State. The Atal Swasthya Yojna will now be known as National Ambulance Service.
Health Minister Thakur Kaul Singh formally announced the change of the name of the free emergency ambulance service No 108. He justified the change of the emergency ambulance No 108 adding that this service was being named as National Ambulance service all over the country shortly.
Responding to the criticism by the BJP leaders, he said it was a matter of policy of the Congress-led UPA Government and it did not mean any insult to the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whom he held in high esteem.
Over 1.2 lakh persons were getting the benefit of this service and 27 more ambulances were being added to the National Ambulance Service fleet shortly. He said efforts were on to provide helicopter-ambulance service to the people of the snow-locked valleys of the State.
