Decks have been cleared for the setting up of the much-awaited 50-bed critical care hospital at Manimajra here.
While the Union Government has sanctioned Rs 24 crore, the UT Administration has allotted 2-acre land for the new health facility.
In a significant step towards strengthening health infrastructure in Chandigarh, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had approved the 50-bed critical care hospital under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) in January 2022.
“This initiative is part of the Government of India’s ambitious vision to build resilient health systems and strengthen critical care services across the country,” a senior official told The Tribune.
Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria has approved the allotment of 2-acre land in Pocket 14 of Manimajra for the project.
Following Kataria’s nod, the UT Estate Department has earmarked the site along the 200-foot-wide road leading to the IT Park free of cost and has placed it at the disposal of the Health Department. The land has been allocated under the provisions of Clause 5 of allotment of land to various bodies on a leasehold basis in Chandigarh Scheme 2005.
“The site has been earmarked for the setting up of a critical care block (50-bedded under PM-ABHIM) as proposed and recommended by the Chief Architect, Department of Urban Planning, Chandigarh Administration,” the Joint Secretary Estates wrote to the Estate Officer, while noting that the ownership of the site shall remain with the Chandigarh Administration and the Health Department will utilise the site for the construction of the critical care block only.
The Manimajra region, which includes population residing in areas like Mauli Jagran, rehabilitation colonies and the IT Park, lacks adequate secondary and tertiary-level health facilities except a 100-bed sub-district hospital.
The official disclosed that Rs 23.75 crore had been sanctioned for this project and the work on the new facility would begin shortly.
CENTRAL PROJECT
To strengthen the public health infrastructure so that it could effectively manage and respond to any future pandemics and outbreaks, Prime Minister-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) was announced in the Budget 2021-22 on February 1, 2021. It is a Centrally-sponsored scheme with some Central sector components, for the implementation of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Package for the health sector as announced by the Finance Minister in May 2020.
The objective of the scheme is to fill critical gaps in health infrastructure, surveillance and health research — spanning both the urban and rural areas — so that the communities are Atma Nirbhar in managing such pandemic/health crises. It is the largest Pan-India scheme for public health infrastructure since 2005.
RS 64,180-CR OUTLAY: Under the scheme, the total financial outlay for the scheme period (2021-22 to 2025-26) is Rs 64,180 crore including ME and PMU cost out of which Rs 54,204.78 crore is for implementation of Centrally-sponsored scheme components and Rs 9,339.78 crore for the implementation of Central sector components.
COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS: KATARIA
“The project is a testament to the collaborative efforts between the Centre and the UT Administration in enhancing public health services, especially in the wake of lessons learnt during the Covid-19 pandemic. It underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring accessible and quality critical care services at the local level,” said Gulab Chand Kataria, Punjab Governor-cum-UT Administrator.
