The issues pertaining to shortage of doctors in the government hospitals and high incidence of cancer in the Malwa region came up during discussion on a resolution moved by Congress MLA Randeep Singh Nabha in Punjab Assembly on 22 March.

Nabha sought cheaper health services and government shops in civil hospitals in order to provide medicines particularly generic medicines at low prices.He also demanded biometric attendance of doctors in the government hospitals in order to get better output from them.Participating in the discussion, Congress MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra raised the issue of shortage of doctors and said chief medical officers (CMOs) should be asked to attend patients in OPDs and not just sit in offices to sign on files.Another ruling party MLA Kuldeep Singh Vaid said incidence of cancer had gone up in the Malwa region and the 'Budha Nullah' was to be blamed for the problem.

He demanded the health budget for the state be enhanced.AAP's Sunam MLA Aman Arora suggested the Congress government to open 'Mohalla clinics' on the lines of Delhi so as to provide cheaper health services to poor people living in rural and urban areas.Meanwhile, listing the various initiatives taken, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh reiterated his government's commitment to the welfare of the freedom fighters in the state.In response to a question by Budhlada MLA Budh Ram regarding bus travel facility for freedom fighters during the Zero Hour, the chief minister informed the House that the state government was already providing free bus travel facility to the freedom fighters in Punjab Government buses.

Facility of free bus travel in AC and Non-AC buses run by the state government was being provided to the freedom fighters and also to widows of deceased freedom fighters.After the death of his widow, a deceased freedom fighter's unmarried unemployed daughter was eligible to get this facility, he said, adding that even attendants of freedom fighters were allowed free travel facility in state government buses while accompanying them.The Congress government, said Amarinder Singh, was also giving one out-of-turn tubewell connection each to the freedom fighters, besides exempting them from payment of toll taxes on the State Highways.He said the state government had decided to provide 300 units of free electricity to freedom fighters.