Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has amended the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) Scheme guidelines, authorising Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to earmark up to ₹20 lakh annually from their CDF allocation to provide financial assistance for the treatment of patients suffering from life-threatening diseases.
According to a government order, the assistance will be available exclusively to patients belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and other economically weaker categories notified by the government, with the move aimed at easing the financial burden on poor families requiring expensive medical treatment.
Under the revised guidelines, MLAs can recommend financial assistance of up to ₹5 lakh for organ transplantation, ₹2.75 lakh for cancer treatment, and ₹1 lakh for patients suffering from chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis, besides other life-threatening diseases notified by the government.
The order also stipulates that assistance under the scheme will be limited to the uncovered portion of treatment expenses after beneficiaries have exhausted all available support under existing government health schemes, including PM-JAY SEHAT, the Medical Aid Trust (MAT) and the Cancer Treatment and Management Fund for Poor (CTMFFP).
The amendment is aimed at ensuring optimal utilisation of public funds while extending additional financial support to economically disadvantaged patients facing high treatment costs that are not fully covered under existing healthcare schemes.
The government said the revised CDF guidelines are expected to provide significant relief to poor patients suffering from critical illnesses and improve access to life-saving treatment for vulnerable sections of society across Jammu and Kashmir.
