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Time of India
30-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Green signal for private management of community centre gyms in Chandigarh
1 2 Chandigarh: The general house of the MC on Tuesday approved engaging a firm or agency for 'running gym, fitness centres in community centres of MC' and is set to issue an RFP (request for proposal) to provide the concessionaire with information to assist in the formulation of their proposal. However, many municipal councillors refused gyms in the community centres of their respective municipal wards. All such councillors have been asked to give their views in writing so that the matter can be pursued further accordingly. During the discussion, the majority of the councillors were of the view that the gym equipment and related material were not of any use and were rusted due to old machinery. Moreover, they raised the issue of the area and location of the gyms in the community centres. Congress's Taruna Mehta said, "The gym is located just along the councillor's office, which is not the right place, and thus the gym is not required." BJP's Jasmanpreet Singh raised the issue of rusted machines and the small area in his municipal ward, saying it was not feasible for the gym. Following such multiple objections, the MC chief engineer asked the councillors to give in writing if they do not want to upgrade gyms located in their respective ward community centres. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Relax in Playa de las Américas, all included Yahoo! Search Results | Search Ads Learn More Undo In its earlier exercise, the MC's engineering wing identified a total of 29 community centres where gyms existed but were in bad shape, thus bringing the agenda to issue an RFP to get an agency to run and maintain them. As per the proposed RFP, the engineering department kept the contract period for three years, which will be further extendable by one year, subject to performance and mutual consent of both parties. There shall be a 5% increase in the annual fees every year. The agenda reads, "The concessionaire will be responsible for operating and maintaining gym sites and will pay a fixed monthly licence fee per gym on a quarterly basis. The existing gym will be handed over to the concessionaire on an 'as is where is' basis. Accordingly, the agenda for the work of 'running gym or fitness centres in various community centres of municipal corporation, Chandigarh' is placed before the general house of MC for its consideration and approval." Box: Sector 16-based Rose Club is all set for a complete makeover, as the general house of the MC on Tuesday approved an agenda to select an agency for "Operation and Maintenance of Rose Club on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) Mode for a period of 10 years." Since the Rose Club is a heritage building, falling under the core heritage area of the prominent northern sector of the city, the selected concessionaire will be allowed to conduct structural repairs, aesthetic renovations, and repairs, but without changing the basic design of the building. The matter is coming before the members of the General House during the monthly meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, for discussion and approval. MC is to invite eligible bidders for the operation and maintenance of Rose Club, Sector 16, Chandigarh under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model on an as-is-where-is basis. The concession period will be 10 years, extendable by 2 additional years, with an initial 6-month upgradation period. Top 20 property tax defaulters The top 20 property tax defaulters of the city owe approximately Rs 200 crore. The issue came up during the monthly general house meeting on Tuesday when BJP's councillor Maheshinder Singh Sidhu raised this issue. Out of these top 20 property tax defaulters, with rupees 68.8 crore, Panjab University is top of the list of defaulters, followed by IT Park with Rs 45 crore, PGI with Rs 24 crore, Chandigarh administration with Rs 16 crore, Golf Club with Rs 12.2 crore, and Punjab Engineering College (PEC) with Rs 11 crore.
Time of India
07-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Now, specialist doctors to be available on call in Haryana government hospitals
Chandigarh: Specialist doctors will now be available in the state govt hospitals under the "on-call system", so that serious patients can get timely treatment, Haryana health and family welfare minister Arti Singh Rao said on Saturday. Rao said the no-node formula was being implemented for doctors in govt hospitals under the PPP (Public Private Partnership) model. With this initiative, specialist medical services will be made available even in rural and remote areas. Specialist doctors will attend the patients on-call in hospitals. Specialist doctors will be available for services like anaesthesia, surgery, radiology, gynaecology, and paediatrics, said the minister. In the initial phase, she informed, the service was being made available in five districts – Hisar, Jind, Mewat, Sonipat, and Kaithal. The minister also informed that this was a pilot project, which would later be expanded to the entire state. The scheme will not only provide high-quality medical facilities to the patients but will also reduce the need for a referral system at the district level. The aim of the state govt is to provide timely, quality, and accessible health services to every citizen. This new initiative is a strong and positive effort in that direction, she added. Rao also noted that the initiative was a part of the govt's broader effort to strengthen health services through technology, decentralisation, and innovation.
Business Recorder
19-05-2025
- Health
- Business Recorder
Punjab records remarkable increase in routine immunisation coverage
LAHORE: In a notable achievement, Punjab has recorded a remarkable increase in routine immunisation coverage, rising from 72% to 88.6% in just eight months, as per findings of latest Punjab Health and Population Survey 2025. This unprecedented progress marks a significant recovery from the setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and reaffirms the Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz commitment to protecting every child against vaccine-preventable diseases. Punjab's coverage was found to be at 72 per cent in the last MICS survey in 2024. The turnaround was made possible by a number of new initiatives by the Punjab Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI). Punjab's Director Expanded Programme on Immunization Dr. Samra Khurram, who has led the programme said, 'This is not just a number — it represents thousands of children who are now better protected and communities that are safer. It's mainly due to targeted strategies to close immunisation gaps, strengthen outreach, and improve monitoring mechanisms across the province. We have resurrected the trust in the immunisation system, expanded coverage in hard-to-reach areas, and empowered frontline health workers with the tools and training they need.' The sharp increase is a direct response to the backsliding in immunisation observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when access to essential health services was disrupted. Dr. Samra Khurram said, 'Two rounds of Big Catch up in the districts have been conducted recently, in October 2024 and Feb-March 2025, to vaccinate all due, defaulter and zero children. These rounds envisaged vaccination of children beyond two years, all children were given routine doses till five years of age. Nearly 0.8 million children were tracked from available record and vaccinated. These two rounds of catch up were our best shot at addressing gaps.' In the last 8 months, the disease surveillance system has been revamped with VPD Surveillance Units being set up at all the 40 public sector hospitals. Teaching Hospitals of the province for the first time are detecting outbreaks and identification of unvaccinated pockets. It may be added that Punjab opened more than 400 new EPI centers in last one year under Public Private Partnership. With the support of WHO as many 11 new centres with prefabricated centers have been set up in UCs without health facilities and 200 new motorcycles have been given to vaccinators in 10 priority districts. For the first time ever, in the 36 districts, 2000 top performing per vaccinators have been provided rewards and prizes. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
