DW BUREAU / chandigarh Health services in Haryana have witnessed a dramatic improvement during the last eight years of the tenure of Chief Minister Manohar Lal. The pace at which Haryana has made progress in improving the health sector services is remarkable. Even during Covid-19 pandemic, the robust arrangements made by the Haryana Government were exemplary. The Government had strenuously worked day and night in order to save the valuable lives of the citizens by providing better administrative control, infrastructure, adequate deployment of doctors and para medical staff. The number of medical colleges, dental colleges, homeopathic colleges, nursing colleges and schools etc. has substantially increased in the state. In 2014, there were 7 medical colleges in the state and MBBS seats were only 700. During the tenure of the present government six more colleges were opened and today the number of MBBS seats has increased to 1,735. The state government is moving ahead with the goal of providing better health facilities to every person, especially the needy one's. The tireless efforts being made by the state government in the health sector are also being appreciated at the national level as well. The Haryana Government has been awarded the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Good Governance Award-2021 for setting up critical care ICUs in the medical colleges. One new medical university, nine medical colleges and seven nursing colleges are being set up in the state. In order to further strengthen the health facilities, the state government is constantly emphasizing on health infrastructure. Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay University of Health Sciences is being established at Kutail, Karnal, which is close to completion. The university will also have a 750-bedded super specialty hospital and research department. Similarly, 9 medical colleges are being set up in the state. In which, Pandit Neki Ram Sharma Government Medical College at Bhiwani, Government Medical College at Jind, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Medical College at Chhayansa, Faridabad, Government Medical College and Hospital at Koriawas, Narnaul, Government Medical College at Kaithal, Sirsa, Yamunanagar and Gurugram. This also includes Government Medical College and Hospital along with Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College Phase-II in Karnal. Apart from this, AIIMS is also being built in Rewari, which will prove to be a milestone for the health facilities of Haryana. The Chief Minister had announced the opening of 6 Nursing Colleges in Faridabad, Rewari, Kaithal, Kurukshetra and Panchkula. Estimated cost of these projects will be Rs. 194 crore. According to the announcement, 85 to 88 percent of the work of colleges being built in all these districts has been completed and will be ready soon. Apart from this, other official processes including purchase of land for construction of the Nursing College building at Safidon, Jind have been completed. Work will begin soon. 22 lakh families of Haryana will get benefit under Ayushman Bharat Scheme. (editor@dailyworld.in)