Even the as Punjab Government is losing about Rs13 crore annual grant to run 108 ambulance service under the National Health Mission because of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s pictures pasted on it, Badal has laid blame on the State Health Department for it.
He said that it was health department that pasted his pictures on ambulances. “I hardly have any fad for pasting my pictures on the ambulances but actually the Health department has pasted it,” he said. Badal said that his pictures pasted on ambulances didn’t affect the delivery of quality health services to the people and the State Government would take an appropriate call in this regard after due deliberations. The Opposition Parties had raised the issue of Badal’s pictures on ambulances many times and described it a publicity stunt while the services are being provided by the Centre.
The Union Health Ministry had also written to Punjab Health Department to remove Badal’s photos otherwise grant to run the service would not be released as pasting pictures on ambulances was against the norms fixed by the Ministry. Punjab Government had lost Rs23.8 crores grant from the Centre in the last three years but State Government is not ready to remove Badal’s pictures.