Health Minister Dr. Rajeev Bindal meets Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Government of India K. Chandermouli, Joint Secretary (RCH), Anuradha Gupta, Secretary, Ayush, Anil Kumar, Joint Secretary, Health Debashish Panda and other officers in New Delhi to discuss various issues pertaining to the Health and Ayurveda Departments of Himachal Pradesh. Dr. Bindal emphasized that the Himachal Pradesh is a special category State and a hilly State with limited resources. The Government of Himachal Pradesh has many times raised the issues with Central Government for funding the State as Special Category State, by 90 percent central funding. In National Rural Health Mission funded schemes, Central Government has reduced its share from 60 to 40 percent and has increased the State share from 40 to 60 percent this year.
Dr. Bindal urged for increasing the Central share form 60 to 90 percent because Himachal Pradesh being a hilly State has categorized as special category State and requested the Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Government of India not to reduce the central share.
During the meeting Dr. Bindal said that the state should be provided more assistance to Ayurveda Department of Himachal Pradesh. Because the State Government has opened Ayurvedic Health Centres in every remote and far flung areas of the States and these institutions needed to be strengthened. Centre of Excellence in Geriatric Care has been started in Govt., Ayurvedic College Paprola in 2011, Central Excellence in field of Dravyaguna has also been started in 2011 which also needed to be strengthened.
Both Secretary, Health and Secretary, Ayush appreciated the initiatives taken by the Government of Himachal Pradesh in the field of Health and Ayurveda and assured all possible help.
