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Title: Need to enhance funds under Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to ensure financial help to all poor patients especially children.
SHRI P.T. THOMAS (IDUKKI): Thank you, Sir. Thousands of poor patients across the country are getting the benefit of the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF). It is a welcome initiative, and the noble efforts behind this should be appreciated. But today, the number of applications has increased and only a few applicants are getting its benefits. The poor patients suffering from cancer, heart, and kidney diseases are struggling to meet the high expense of their treatment, and the help from the PMNRF is their only hope. Therefore, I urge upon the Government to consider enhancing the support for them from the PMNRF.
I would request the Government to ensure that all applications, especially, the applications of children get some financial help without any discretion. I would also request the Government to consider having a National-level insurance scheme in which the premium will be met by the Central and State Governments.