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Senate body directs govt to speed up work on Terlai hospital
By Ijaz Kakakhel

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on government Assurances on Wednesday directed the government to speed up the construction of District Headquarters Hospital at Terlai Islamabad for which the JICA has already expresses willingness to finance.
The committee, which met on Wednesday at Parliament House under Senator Syed Ghani as Chairman, was informed that there are no financial problems for the proposed hospital as the government also allocated some amount under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). In the meantime the Ministry of Interior was also contacted through Economic Affairs Division (EAD) for financial assistance for the new hospital at Terlai and it expressed its willingness. However, the project is in the Planning Commission and awaiting concept clearance and approval. Once the clearance is approved the proposals will be submitted to JICA for financial assistance. The project envisaged construction of a 200-bed secondary health care facility that will act as a referral point of the existing primary health care facilities. The hospital would further be expanded to a 500-bed facility at a later stage.
Ministry of Interior additional secretary informed the committee that the total cost of the project is Rs 1.9 billion and the PC-I was already submitted to the planning commission for approval. After approval the project will formally will be presented to JICA for financial assistance consideration. An official of the planning commission told the committee that they were already working over this project it will soon be approved.
Committee Chairman Saeed Ghani said that the project is delayed and it should be on ground immediately. He directed the concerned departments to provide full details in its next meeting as the project is of national importance.
Meanwhile, CDA Chairman Maroof Afzal assured the committee that the issue of the natural gas pipeline for I-16 sector will be resolved within the next three days. He said that someone in the I-14 Markaz constructed a room that could not allow the gas pipeline pass. He said by tomorrow (Thursday) an action will be taken and the matter will be resolved. But Committee Chairman Sayed Ghani expressed displeasure over no progress in development work of I-16 sector since the committee’s last meeting. The committee directed the Ministry of Petroleum to provide details of this case to the committee within three days.
Ministry of CAD Acting Secretary Mohammad Asghar Chaudhry told the committee that a summary has been sent to the cabinet for approval of an extension in the Polyclinc Hospital. He said in this regard that Rs 55 million will be paid to the CDA for acquiring 50 percent areas of Argentina Park.
CDA Chairman Maroof Afzal informed the committee that the CDA fully supported the extension of the hospital and recommend it to the cabinet for approval. The Supreme Court judgement and other issues became main hurdles in the extension of the Polyclinic Hospital.
The committee was informed regarding the extension of infrastructure in PIMS Hospital that there was no space for including more beds in existing rooms. However, the committee decided that the concerned minister will brief the committee in its next meeting since he already gave assurance on the floor of the Senate to install more beds in PIMS Hospital.

 

Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk

 

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