Centre, Punjab at loggerheads over Badal’s photo on NRHM ambulances

With Lok Sabha elections not far away, display of Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal’s pictures on ambulances has brought the state government and the Centre at loggerheads with union health ministry stopping central funds to the state under a scheme.

In its recent tranche of central funds released to Punjab under its flagship National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scheme, the health ministry has not included the amount under a scheme for providing free referral transport system.

The action comes in a bid to prevent UPA’s flagship programmes from being hijacked by states ahead of elections. 

Union minister of state for health Santosh Chaudhary, who is an MP from Hoshiarpur in Punjab, also raised objections on the display of Badal’s photos on ambulances funded by Centre.