The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Free check-up for poor families soon

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 06, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Free check-up for poor families soon

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, MARCH 5. <150>Twenty thousand poor families in the city can soon avail themselves of hi-tech medical facilities free of cost. In a move, said to be the first in the country, the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, proposed in New Delhi that each of these families will be presented with a "Health Smart Card" ensuring them free medical check-up and treatment in a hi-tech hospital.

After an hour-long meeting with the Mayor, R. Narayanaswamy, on Friday night, Mr. Singh also unveiled a "Discretionary Fund" for each corporator on the lines of the MP's and MLA's funds. The Government will allocate Rs. 2 lakhs annually to each corporator to be used for immediate redressal of grievances of the citizens. The two proposals are unique in the entire country, according to the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP).

The two proposals will be placed at the next meeting of the BMP and approved. The corporators' discretionary fund will be available to all the 100 corporators. There is also a proposal for decentralisation of the Mayor's fund, according to Mr. Narayanaswamy.

The corporators will identify 200 poor families in their wards for distribution of the Health Smart Cards. The project will be implemented by the respective divisional deputy commissioners under the supervision of the corporators.

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