Tirupati: High-level panel to meet on July 25

TIRUPATI: The high-level expert committee on TTD Pranadana health scheme will meet at Hyderabad on July 25 to review its implementation and also discuss ways and means for the effective utilisation of the the scheme for the benefit of the poor.According to sources, the meeting will also discuss proposals from the Tirupati based government hospitals, including the SVRR and District Maternity Hospital, seeking more funds from the Pranadana scheme, for improving facilities.The TTD set up the committee (Sri Venkateswara Pranadana Trust) at the behest of the government for the effective implementation of scheme which aims at providing free medical facilities to poor patients afflicted with life threatening diseases.Though the scheme was applicable for patients undergoing treatment in the TTD- run hospitals, including SVIMS, BIRRD, government SVRR hospital and maternity hospital at Tirupati, SVIMS has been enjoying the lion share of the funds from the scheme, followed by BIRRD.The leaders, including local MLA and MP have been persistently demanding the TTD to provide Pranadana funds liberally to the SVRR and the maternity hospital on par with SVIMS, as these government hospitals were providing treatment free of cost to general public, while the former was running on corporate lines having the advantage of charging for the treatment given.Against this backdrop, the TTD set up the high power expert committee comprising TTD joint executive officer, FA and CAO, Addnl.FA and CAO, directors of SVIMS and BIRRD and SV Ayurvedic college principal.Director of medical education(DME), vice chancellor, NTR Health University, commissioner Ayush and SVRR hospital superintendent are the other members of the committee set up for fine-tuning the Pranadana trust.