Chandigarh:On the occasion of International Women's Day (8th September), the Punjab Government has decided to provide free treatment to all the girls upto 5 years old in all the Government Hospitals in the State. A decision to this effect was taken by S. Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister Punjab. He said that the Punjab Government shall henceforth take no user charges or diagnostic fee from less than 5 year old girls for any kind of treatment in the Punjab Government Hospitals. Besides this, the Government has also decided to provide free medicines for such girls in the state hospitals.
While reiterating the commitment towards the cause of girl child as well as welfare of women, the Chief Minister informed that multifarious initiatives are being taken by the Government to further improve the sex-ratio in the state. He informed that Punjab Government is already extending many free facilities for women, including the cashless delivery service in all its hospitals in the state and free treatment to children upto 1 year of age. Cash incentive of Rs 1000/- under State Mata Kaushalya Yojna is also given to each woman after delivery in govt. health institutions. He reiterated the state’s commitment towards improving the condition of women in general and the girl child in particular.