The Union Cabinet’s Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA ), chaired by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has decided to provide an outlay of Rs. 1,250 crore for the National Programme for Control of Blindness for the 11th plan period.The program will expand its scope to include other causes of blindness such as diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma, apart from cataract.
Speaking to the media,the Union Minister and Cabinet spokesperson Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said the programme would have a target of setting up 3,000 ‘vision centers’, with basic screening equipment, catering to every 5,000 population; developing a network of 30 eye banks and 130 eye donation centers to facilitate collection and processing of donated eyes, and provision of non-recurring assistance to 40 voluntary organizations for strengthening and expanding eye care services in rural areas during the plan period.
The CCEA also gave its nod for implementing a Rs. 2,800 crore scheme for upgradation of the remaining 1,096 Government-run Industrial Training Institutes through public-private partnership by 2011-12.
Source: The Hindu
Filed under Cataract, Diabetic Retinopathy, Eye Care Program | Tags: eye, eye care, National Programme for Control of Blindness, Union Cabinet’s Committee on Economic Affairs, vision centers | Comment Below
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