In a decision that can improve the healthcare services in rural areas, the state Government has reserved 30 per cent of the post-graduate seats for those MBBS doctors who have completed their mandatory stint of rural services. It also announced free X-ray facility for patients in all state-run hospitals.
These decisions were taken in the Cabinet meeting held here on Thursday.
The Government spokesman said that doctors who have worked in the primary health centres (PHCs) and community health centres (CHCs) in far flung areas of the state would have 30 per cent seats reserved for post-graduation courses.
This would motivate MBBS doctors to go to rural areas with the intention to get the benefit of reservation facility, the spokesman said.
The Uttar Pradesh Provincial Health and Medical Services, an association of Government doctors, hailed the decision. Secretary of the association, Dr Sachin Vaish, said that it was a long-pending demand and with its implementation, doctors would be motivated to go to villages. "We thank Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for taking such a historic decision," Dr Vaish said.
The state-run hospitals are facing a crunch of MBBS doctors willing to work in rural areas. Despite many advertisements by State Service Commission to appoint
doctors and the proposal to appoint retired doctors on ad hoc basis over 1000 posts are lying vacant. The doctors are not willing to serve in rural areas as a result of which PHCs and CHCs are facing staff crisis. In another decision, the Government announced free X-ray facility for patients in all government hospitals. This decision would be implemented with immediate effect.
Earlier, the free X-ray facility was available to only Below Poverty line (BPl) card holders while other were required to pay Rs 30 per X-ray.
The Government also decided to set up an Institute of Driving Training and Research in Rae Bareli, the parliamentary constituency of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
The institute would be set up in collaboration with the Union Government while the state would allocate land for it.
The Cabinet has approved 11.755 acre of land for the institute in village Datauli in Sadar Tehsil of Rae Bareli and has asked Centre to release funds for the said project.
In another decision, the Government decided to transfer 41.744 hectare of land of Sugar Corporation mill in Rampur to the Jail department so that the existing District Jail may be shifted out of the city limits.
The Cabinet decided to allocate funds for the shifting of the jail in the 2014-15 budget.
In other decisions, the Government decided to set up an international airport in Kushinagar in eastern Uttar Pradesh on PPP (people public participation) model and also increased the retirement age of the employees of Uttar Pradesh Urdu Academy from the existing 58 years to 60 years.
Besides, the Government also decided to increase the honorarium of the aaganwadi workers from Rs 1500 to Rs 2250. The hike would be effective with retrospective effect from July 4, 2013.With the aim to streamline urban transport, the Cabinet
approved creation of Dedicated Urban Transport Fund and asked the department to formulate guidelines for the scheme.
The Government also decided to construct Agra-lucknow Expressway on the lines of Engineering Procurement and Construction system.
In another decision, the Government approved creation of loni as a separate tehsil in Ghaziabad district.