CHANDIGARH: As a part of the Punjab Government's campaign to modernize medical facilities through out the State, the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Thursday ordered the upgradation of the Civil Dispensary, Tripari Town in Patiala district to 30 bedded Community Health Centre at a cost of Rs.2.15 crore.

A spokesman of Punjab government said that the campaign would be fuelled by liberal inputs from the NRI Punjabis. Although the upgradation of Tripari Dispensary in Patiala district was entirely a decision of the state government, the pro-active role played by the prominent NRI and former legislator  Surjit Singh Rakhra was merely a pointer in this direction.

Rakhra did not only lobby tirelessly for putting in place a modern medical facility in the pre-dominantly poor and middle class segment, inhabited largely by displaced persons from Pakistan, he also used the opportunity to get eminent Punjabis settled abroad to make commitments on future investments in health care in the state in Public Private partnership
(PPP) mode.

The Spokesman further said that the Civil Dispensary of Tripari Town was constructed way back in 1956 and during the last 50 years, the population has since increased to approximately 1.5  lacs. Of Rs.2.15 crores, Rs.1.75 crores would be spent on the construction and Rs.40 lacs for modern equipment. The government had already given a sanction for the creation of additional posts in the dispensary at an expenditure of Rs.27.84 lac per annum. The entire work of the construction of the Health Centre would be completed within 14 months.