‘Rs4b health insurance scheme being launched’

LAHORE
Punjab Social Welfare Minister Haroon Ahmad Sultan Bukhari has said a health insurance card scheme is being launched with an amount of Rs 4 billion for to the low income people in government hospitals free of cost.
An amount of Rs 8.75 billion has been allocated for providing quality health facilities to the poor. He said Rs 600 million had been provided for dialysis. The minister said mobile health units will be provided to the districts of south Punjab for which an amount of Rs 1 billion had been allocated.
He said this while talking to a delegation of doctors on Monday. Sultan Bukhari said the role of lady health workers and paramedics would be made more effective. He said 500 mothers out of ten thousands die during child birth. Similarly, 77 babies out of one thousand die during birth, he added. The minister said the government launched a number of projects with the cooperation of various donors for providing modern medical facilities to the patients. He said the provision of medicines, medical equipment, birth kits and positing of doctors and other medical staff was being ensured at the health centres. Haroon Sultan said the government provided Rs 2 billion for achieving millennium development goals and additional budget was provided to health and education departments. He said Rs 1.80 billion had been allocated for providing treatment facilities to newly-born babies whereas Rs 12 billion would be provided for setting up three new children hospitals in the province. He said an additional amount of two billion rupees had been allocated for controlling viral diseases.
auctioned: The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Monday auctioned 10 plots against Rs 245 million.
The LDA officials said plot 10-E of Finance and Trade Centre, Johar Town, measuring five-kanal was auctioned in a sum of Rs 200 million. The bid starting price of the plot has been fixed as Rs 1.25 million per Marla whereas it fetched a price of Rs 2.005 million per Marla.
Among other plots, maximum bid was offered for corner plot 1040 block Q of MA Johar Town, measuring 2.37 Marla. Its reserve price was Rs 1.43 million per Marla whereas it was auctioned in Rs 1.76 Marla. Its total price amounted to Rs 4.16 million.
Open auction was held at LDA Community Centre, 239-A, New Muslim Town. A total of 20 bidders participated in the bidding by depositing earnest money for their desired plots. Severe competition was observed at this occasion as the competitors enthusiastically offered their bids. Per marla-base price of these plots had been estimated by the approved evaluators of the State Bank of Pakistan.
Members of the auction committee of LDA including Director Finance Zaheer Asghar Raana, Directors Estate Management Akbar Nakai and Usman Ghani, Director Land Development Muhammad Assad Ameer and Moazzam Rashid and other officers supervised the auction proceedings.