Augmentation of ambulance service on cards in Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 8 (UNI) The Delhi Cabinet today decided to augment ambulance services in the city by deploying 150 more fully equipped ambulances and 20 responders-two wheeler ambulances.

In a meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, the Cabinet also approved issuance of e-entitlement Smart Card to beneficiaries for availing benefits of various welfare schemes under Mission Convergence, enhancement of remuneration of part time vocational teachers and revised scales and enhancement of superannuation age from 60 to 62 to the librarians of the diploma level polytechnics under the Delhi Government.

Briefing mediapersons after the Cabinet meeting, Ms Dikshit said her government is committed to providing pre-hospital emergency medical response services of international standards to citizens of Delhi with at least one ambulance per lakh people, which is the recommended norm.

It has undertaken an exercise to explore feasibility and modalities of expanding ambulance services in the capital city.

Since 1991, pre-hospital medical emergency transportation i.e.

ambulance services have been provided through the Centralised Accidents and Trauma Services (CATS), a Delhi Government organisation under the Societies Registration Act 1860.

The Cabinet has decided to deploy a total of 150 ambulances, out of which 141 would be basic life support ambulances and nine would be advanced life support.

In addition to this, another 20 first responders (two-wheelers) ambulances would be deployed to reach difficult and congested areas, in the first phase. The services would be branded and promoted as "102 Ambulance Service-Government of Delhi".

The services would be restricted to the territory of Delhi.

It would be ensured that the ambulance reaches the patients/sites within 15-20 minutes. It would also be ensured that the patient is shifted to the nearest hospital within 20 minutes. This would go a long way in overcoming the rate of casualties.

Ms Dikshit said Delhi would become the first state to issue E-entitlement Smart Card in the shortest possible time to beneficiaries for availing benefits of 47 different welfare schemes relating to nine departments under the Mission Convergence.

The Cabinet has approved an action plan for issuance of such cards. This integration would have certain advantages such as holders would take advantage of bus travel automatic fare collection, facilitate use of a single smart card for multiple services i.e. ration shops, hospitals, social assistance, DTC buses, private buses, to use all multi-modal transport system and enable the people to have the bank accounts.

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