108 services likely to get new operator

HYDERABAD: The operations of the ailing EMRI (108) services is likely to be handed over to a new organisation if the state government and the GVK Group, which is the current operator of the call-centre service, do not reach an amicable agreement. On the other hand, the government has decided to hand over the call centre operations of HMRI (104) services to the Rajiv Aarogyasri Trust which recently expressed its interest to run the call-centre.Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy will convene a meeting with representatives of GVK Group at his chambers on Tuesday to sort out certain issues with regard to operation of these services. One of the major issues is the payment of a Rs 42 crore loan availed by Satyam founder B Ramalinga Raju on a land which has the EMRI call-centre building. The land reportedly belongs to the Endowments department and Ramalinga Raju is said to have occupied it to take the loan. While the state government on Monday made it clear that it is not liable to pay the loan taken by Ramalinga Raju, the GVK Group is also making similar statement adding that it cannot run the services unless the loan amount is repaid as the bank authorities concerned is pressurising them for repayment.Health minister DL Ravindra Reddy told reporters here on Monday that the government can pay `9 crore to the GVK Group to run the 108 services call-centre. However, it is ready to sort out issues like increasing capital expenditure, replacement of old ambulances and also payment of salaries to contract employees. "In case the GVK Group disagree with our proposal, we will have to invite fresh tenders from companies interested in running the call-centre. We have already decided to call tenders for fleet management of the 108 services," he said.Meanwhile, during a review meeting with the officials on Monday, the chief minister approved the proposal for launching a pilot project for rationalisation of medicines distribution. The new project will be launched in Adilabad, Srikakulam and Chittoor districts in October or November. In addition to Rs 207 crore allocated for purchase of medicines, Kiran Kumar Reddy directed the officials to release another Rs 102 crore to ensure that there is no shortage of medicines in government hospitals. The district collectors will be authorised to monitor the medicine stocks and order for more stocks based on requirement.The government has agreed to release its 25 per cent share for developing the Niloufer Hospital into a national institute of pediatrics, with Rs 270 crore under the National Rural Health Mission. A decision was also taken to release Rs 50 crore to Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences for upgrading its infrastructure.