BHUBANESWAR: The State Cabinet on Wednesday approved several schemes in health and drinking water sectors, including the universal eye health programme, with an expected expenditure of around `2,000 crore to cater primarily to rural population. Earlier, the Council of Ministers approved the budget for 2018-19, which is likely to touch `1,20,000 crore, with emphasis on infrastructure, irrigation, health and agriculture sectors. The eye health programme, to be implemented for a period of five years from 2018-19 with an estimated cost of `682 crore, aims to generate a baseline data of prevalence of eye diseases in the State through a sample survey, Chief Secretary A P Padhi told mediapersons after the Cabinet meeting. Provision of affordable comprehensive eye care services to rural and tribal areas will be made under the programme by skilled manpower and equipment, the Chief Secretary said and added that all backlog cataract cases will be addressed by 2023.
Adequate eye infrastructure in medical colleges, district headquarters hospitals, sub-divisional hospitals and community health centres will be provided, Padhi said. All diabetic and glaucoma patients will be screened regularly to reduce the prevalence of irreversible blindness in the State, he added. Five lakh spectacles will be distributed to students under the programme, the Chief Secretary said and added that mobile eye care van will be stationed at all the 30 districts. Besides, eye care facilities in seven medical colleges will be upgraded, he said.
The Cabinet approved a new scheme, ‘Strengthening of ancillary services in public health facilities’ with a budget of `550.24 crore for five years from 2018-19 to cover 1,814 health institutions. Out of the total cost, `123.88 crore will be met from the National Health Mission (NHM) fund and `426.36 crore will be provided from the State budget, Padhi said. The Chief Secretary said cleaning and security services implemented in first referral units (FRUs) through outsourced units will be augmented from April 1, 2018 under the new scheme. Subsequently, it will be further strengthened with additional services linen and laundry, lift services wherever required through fresh tendering process.
The scheme will be implemented under the overall guidance of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti (RKS), he said. Besides, free diagnostic services ‘Nidaan’ and free dialysis services ‘Sahay’ announced by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on December 19, 2017 was approved by the Cabinet. The estimated cost for provision of free diagnostic and dialysis services for all types of patients at public health facilities will be around `596.28 crore for five years.
The Cabinet approved the proposal to make a provision of `1,000 crore in 2018-19 under BASUDHA scheme to ensure every rural household has access to safe water for drinking, cooking and other domestic needs throughout the year. Besides, the scheme also aims to increase minimum supply level in pipe water project from 40 litres per capita per day to 70 litres per capita per day. The Cabinet also decided to utilise `345 crore from the grants recommended by the Fourth State Finance Commission towards water supply (user and metering) for universal coverage of urban water supply by the end of 2018-19.
The Cabinet felt that bulk metering of water supply need to be implemented first before going to individual user end metering. Besides, the proposal for amendment to Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956 to enforce the provision of display of signboard in Odia language prominently by the employers of all shops and commercial establishments of the State for better convenience of general public was approved. Fine for first violation of the provisions will be from `1,000 to `10,000 while the second violation fine will be from `2,000 to `20,000.
Universal eye health programme
The Council of Ministers approved the budget for 2018-19, which is likely to touch `1,20,000 crore The eye health programme aims to generate a baseline data of prevalence of eye diseases in the State through a sample survey
Five lakh spectacles will be distributed to students under the programme
Provision of `1,000 crore in 2018-19 under BASUDHA scheme to ensure every rural household has access to safe water
Proposal for amendment to Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956 to enforce the provision of display of signboard in Odia language prominently by the employers of all shops and
commercial establishments of the State approved