Karnataka government proposed in its State Budget 2003 to set up four cardiology referral centres of the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology at Hubli-Dharwad, Shimoga, Mercara and Bijapur to provide advanced healthcare to the rural people.

Karnataka chief minister S M Krishna announced today while presenting the budget here that a sum of Rs 3 crore had been allocated for these centres, which would cater to about 40 lakh patients, for preliminary and advanced diagnostic procedures.

Karnataka chief minister said that the State government proposed to promote a tele-medicine project to link 25 district hospitals to provide advanced health care to rural people afflicted with diabetes, hypertension, asthma and heart diseases.

The government would upgrade the services in the aids control, taking them to the taluk level, informed the chief minister.

He said Rs 1 crore had been allocated for the proposed institute of nephro-urology here and for setting up hospitals through public-private partnership to meet the health care needs of tribals in semi forest areas.