Hyderabad, April 30: The State Government has decided to continue the GVK Group as promoter of the Emergency Medical Research Institute (EMRI).
Though the Government itself is highly critical of the services being rendered by the GVK Group and Arogyasri Minister P Satyanarayana went on record saying that the orgainisation had no service motto, the GVK is going to be at the helm of the affairs.
However, the Government has constituted a committee to come up with guidelines as to how the GVK should run EMRI and wanted it to complete the work within a week’s time.
Speaking to ENS, Satyanarayana said that officials from Road Transport Corporation, National Rural Health Mission, Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare and those of the EMRI were roped into the committee to examine what went wrong with the 108 service and how it could be improved.
EMRI has come under flak for its failure in reaching the needy in time which led to a widespread feeling that the Government wanted to get rid off the service.
At a review meeting held today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister K Rosaiah, it has been decided to continue the GVK as promoter and also to continue the 108 service.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting Satyanarayana informed that under no circumstances, the service would be withdrawn.
He informed that the services were not up to the mark and it was making only 17 lakh trips a year against the stipulated 24 lakh trips as stated in the MoU. The minister said the rate of breakdowns were high and ambulances were not reaching in time. He said the Government wants improvement of the service. When asked about the demand from the GVK that it wants Rs 540 per trip against the present rate of Rs 470 per trip, Satyanarayana said that the Government would not consider the proposal.
–Agencies