Chandigarh : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday alleged that the Union government has stalled Rs 1000 crore of the state under the National Health Mission to deprive the Punjabis from the access of quality health services.

 Interacting with the media persons after flagging off 58 hi-tech ambulances for the state, the Chief Minister said that the state government is committed to impart quality health services to the state but the Union government is continuously hatching conspiracies to deny these to Punjabis. He said that the Union government has stalled the grant of worth Rs 1000 crore under the National Health Mission just to torpedo pro-people initiatives being taken by the state. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this is a condemnable move as the non BJP governments are being harassed by the Union government on one pretext or another.The Chief Minister said that Aam Aadmi clinics have revolutionized the health care sector in the state. He said that 1.75 crore people have taken the benefits of these clinics in the state and more than 95% of patients visiting these clinics daily recover from their ailments. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that ever since the starting of these clinics have witnessed a huge footfall indicating that every third person of the state has taken benefit from these clinics.

 The Chief Minister said that today 58 new hi-tech ambulances have been dedicated to the people of the state thereby ensuring that they are available to people in hour of distress. He said that with this addition in the fleet of ambulances a total number of 325 ambulances have been pressed into the service of people across the state to ensure that they get health services in time. Bhagwant Singh Mann asserted that these Ultra Modern Ambulances have been mandated to reach the needy patients within 15 minutes in Urban Areas and 20 minutes in Rural Areas.The Chief Minister bemoaned that it is strange that despite of immense contribution in the freedom struggle, making the country self-reliant in food production and safeguarding the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the country, Punjab has been completely ignored in the Union budget. He said that this step motherly treatment with the state is unwarranted and reflects the myopic mindset of the Union government towards the state. Bhagwant Singh Mann further said that this high handedness of the Union government will not be tolerated and Punjabis will give a befitting reply to it.

 The Chief Minister also reiterated his demand for a special economic package for the state in recognition of the immense contribution made by Punjabis in every field. He said that it is the need of hour to ensure that Punjab makes tremendous progress in every sphere adding that this will give a major fillip to the growth and development of the state. However, Bhagwant Singh Mann bemoaned that currently, the tax holiday given to other states is acting as an impediment to the industrial growth of the state as industrial units are shifting there.The Chief Minister welcomed the appointment of the new Governor of the state and expressed hope that constitutional rights of both the Government and the Governor will be safeguarded. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the outgoing Governor had unnecessarily tried to create hiccups in the smooth functioning of the state government. He said that it is unfortunate that the Governor had not granted sanction for calling a budget session and had even declared a session illegitimate only to grant it sanction later.

 The Chief Minister said that this is unwarranted and undesirable in a democratic government country like India but unfortunately all this happened in the state. He said that today both freedom and democracy are in danger as the Union government is leaving no stone unturned to sabotage them by harassing the non-BJP governments. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the voice of opposition is being muzzled and the central agencies are being used to arm twist them and mute their voice.

 The Chief Minister said that meetings of Niti Aayog are a futile exercise as states do not even get the proper time to flag the issues of their concern. He said that owing to this reason only they had decided to boycott the meeting of the Niti Aayog this time. Bhagwant Singh Mann asserted that nothing fruitful had come out of the meeting of the Niti Aayog last time also so it was better to boycott it and do some constructive work in the state.The Chief Minister said that the state government is giving a major facelift to the health sector in the state adding that the hospitals running in the heritage buildings will be soon modernized. He said that a lot of resources and funds are being pumped in to upgrade the health sector in the state to ensure that people get access to quality health services. Bhagwant Singh Mann also said that the medical colleges at Hoshiarpur, Sangrur and Kapurthala are coming up and the state government is duty bound to complete the work on them.The Chief Minister said that the youth who were compelled by the system of previous governments to migrate abroad are now returning back, which is a positive trend of reverse migration in the state. He said that his government had provided government jobs to more than 43, 000 youths in just two years, marking a record in Punjab’s history. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that among those who secured these government jobs, some are youngsters returned from abroad.

 The Chief Minister said that the state has created history by purchasing Goindwal power plant owned by a private company GVK Power. He said that for the first time this reverse trend has started that the government has purchased any private power plant whereas in the past the state governments used to sell their assets to the favorite individuals at ‘throw away’ prices. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that as coal from Pachwara coal mine can be used only for government power plants so with purchase of this power plant this coal can be aptly utilized for producing power to provide it to every sector of the state.