The Election Commission of India (EC) has provided a major relief to poor patients suffering from major diseases and receiving treatment in different hospitals in the State. The model code of conduct will not be applicable with regard to disbursement of money to poor patients from the Chief Minister’s Medical Relief Fund.
Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath on Tuesday said: “The model code of conduct will not apply in cases related to health.” Following the enforcement of the model code of conduct from March 20, the government has not cleared nearly 4,000 applications submitted by relatives of patients seeking relief for treatment of poor patients in government-run hospitals. The office of the Joint Secretary to the Chief Minister has received more than 400 applications from poor patients after March 20, officials in the government told The Hindu .
The Chief Minister’s Medical Relief Fund, which was set up with the objective of funding medical treatment of people below the poverty line, has provided aid for treatment of various diseases to more than 75,000 people during the last four years.
Joint Secretary to the Chief Minister, H.R. Mahadev, said the government has provided relief to about 20,000 poor patients in the last one year.