Chandigarh: Giving a major relief to cancer patients across Punjab, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Monday announced a new scheme that will provide cashless treatment to cancer patients.
"The chief minister gave his nod for starting the cashless scheme of providing treatment to cancer patients of the state in hospitals under the Mukh Mantri Punjab Cancer Raahat Kosh from January 2014," said an official spokesman.
Badal said that under the new scheme, there would be no need for getting prior sanction of officers for availing treatment for cancer.
"Cancer patients could avail the best treatment facilities in the empanelled hospitals at affordable cost," the spokesman said.
Badal said the scheme would prove to be a big help for cancer patients as under it the entire expenditure would be borne by the state government.
Punjab has seen an increase in the number of cancer patients in recent years, especially in the southwest Malwa region, due to excessive use of pesticides and insecticides in farming.
