BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik flagged off 24 new basic life support (BLS) and 299 modified advanced life support (ALS) ambulances here on Thursday. Naveen said with the new additions, ambulance services will now be available in every block of the state.
Until now, 624 ambulances including 512 BLS and 112 ALS were providing free services to the people in 30 districts. Besides, 6 boat ambulances are also in operation, he added.
The new ALS ambulances have been converted from BLS ambulances. The number of state-of-the-art ALS ambulances has now gone up to 411 in the state.
The government has spent Rs 52 crore for the purpose.Naveen further said the government has made budgetary provision for 92 new emergency ambulances in a phased manner of which 24 new ambulances have been procured at a cost of Rs 9.6 crore. Besides, 500 Janani Express ambulances are also operational. More than 88 lakh people have benefitted from the services.