New Delhi: The Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Tuesday said that the Finance Department has released a grant of Rs. 32 Crore for the Creation of Cancer and Drug De-Addiction Treatment Infrastructure to strengthen the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led Punjab Government’s initiatives in this sector.

Revealing this in a press statement issued here, Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema said that Finance Department has so far released a grant of Rs. 48.75 crore for the Creation of Cancer and Drug De-Addiction Treatment Infrastructure during the current financial year including the grants of Rs. 32 Crore released today.

Emphasizing the need to improve cancer treatment in the state, the Finance Minister said that during the current financial year, apart from the above mentioned funds, Rs. 4.50 crores have been released to State Cancer Institute, Amritsar and Rs. 2.02 crores to Tertiary Cancer Care Center, Fazilka.

Cheema further added that the Finance Department has also given approval to the revised honorarium for Junior Resident, Senior Resident and Tutor doctors. He said that the initial honorarium for Tutor (Non-PCMS) and Senior Resident has been increased from existing Rs. 65,100 to Rs. 81,562 and honorarium for Resident (Non PCMS) has been increased from existing Rs 52,080 to Rs. 67, 958.

The Finance Minister reiterated the firm commitment of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led Punjab Government to ensure major improvements in the health facilities besides boosting the medical education sector.