Hyderabad, Mar 26 (TNT): Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Thursday in the Assembly, announced a slew of reforms in the health sector aimed at strengthening public healthcare and ensuring access to advanced treatment for the poor.
Speaking in the Assembly, the Chief Minister said the government will extend Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) support to teaching medical hospitals and refer patients under the Aarogyasri scheme to these institutions to improve utilisation and services.
Highlighting challenges, he said the lack of adequate medical professionals has impacted healthcare delivery, despite 35 medical colleges being operational. To address this, the government will appoint Group-I level officers for better administration of teaching hospitals.
The Chief Minister said the state has so far disbursed ₹2,046 crore under the CMRF and alleged irregularities in its utilisation during the previous BRS government.
He noted that corrective measures, including an online application system, have been introduced to ensure transparency.
On Aarogyasri, he said the previous government left pending dues of ₹627 crore as of December 7, 2023, putting a burden on the current administration.
He added that the government has since cleared ₹2,408 crore in bills—₹927 crore to government hospitals and ₹1,480 crore to private hospitals while reducing outstanding dues to ₹727 crore.
Stressing that payments are being made regularly, he dismissed misconceptions regarding delays and noted an increase in the number of beneficiaries availing treatment under the scheme.
The Chief Minister announced an allocation of ₹4,500 crore towards healthcare for the poor and said an additional 10,000 hospital beds will be created.
He added that Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) hospitals in Warangal, Alwal, L.B. Nagar and Sanath Nagar will be developed into specialised medical centres, supported through Aarogyasri and CMRF funding.
He also announced the construction of a new Osmania Hospital at Goshamahal over 30 acres at an estimated cost of ₹3,000 crore.
As part of social security measures, the Chief Minister said the government will launch “Indiramma Jeevitha Bima” to provide life insurance coverage to 1.15 crore families based on caste census data.
To leverage global expertise, he said a dedicated portal will be developed for NRI doctors from Telangana to enable them to offer services in local hospitals during visits to their hometowns.
The Chief Minister also commended Health Minister Damodara Raja Narasimha and stressed the need to address emerging challenges in the healthcare sector.
He reiterated that both healthcare and education are top priorities for the state government, with adequate funding to be ensured.
TNT TS
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