Cabinet Nod to Free-Drugs Policy

The Meghalaya cabinet on Wednesday approved the state’s free-drugs policy in line with the national free-drugs policy.

It also approved the proposal to enhance price limit for purchase of vehicles by governor, chief minister, deputy chief minister and ministers besides chief secretary and district-level officers.

Announcing the cabinet decisions after the meeting at the main secretariat here, deputy chief minister and spokesperson of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government, Prestone Tynsong, said under the free-drugs policy of the state, 72 items of medicines would be supplied free of cost to all government hospitals and health centres in the state, including district hospitals, health sub-centres and dispensaries in rural areas.

He said the expenditure would be borne by the Centre under the National Health Mission and the state government on 90:10 ratio.

This policy has been adopted in line with the policy of the Centre,” Tynsong said.

The cabinet took the decision in the wake of complaints that enough medicines are not available on many occasions in government-run hospitals and health centres.

Asked about requirement of medicines outside the list, Tynsong said in such a situation the government would have to procure those medicines.

Tynsong also announced the cabinet decision to enhance the price limit for purchase of vehicles to be used by VIPs and officials in the state.

Tynsong said for the governor and the chief minister, the limit is Rs 40 lakh.

For deputy chief minister, ministers and chief secretary, the price limit is Rs 20 lakh and Rs 12 lakh for additional chief secretaries, director-general of police, principal secretaries and principal chief conservator of forest.

For commissioners and secretaries of all-India services the price limit is Rs 10 lakh.

“Enhancing the price limit for VIPs and officials will not send any wrong message to people of the state. This will instead send a good message. Earlier, there was no price limit, but now we have fixed the price limit for purchase of vehicles,” Tynsong said.

On Wednesday, the cabinet also approved names of VIPs who will take the salute and hoist the Tricolour on Independence Day.

Chief minister Conrad K. Sangma will attend the celebrations in Shillong while other ministers will join the celebrations in various district headquarters and civil subdivisions.

However, no minister will take the salute at Tura, the district headquarters of West Garo Hills, Mawkyrwat, the district headquarters of South West Khasi Hills and Ranikor civil subdivision in view of the model code of conduct being enforced there for the upcoming byelections to South Tura and Ranikor Assembly constituencies slated for August 23.- Telegraph India