Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Govt. of India with the advise of Major Ahluwalia who was victim of spine injury of 1965 war conceptualize to have Indian Spinal Injury Centre at New Delhi. It was supported with the Govt. of Italy. In the same vein, Ministry of Social Justice & Women Empowerment conceived to have four Regional Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Centers which would have referred the patients from various regions to Indian Spinal Injury Centre, New Delhi. These centers were at Cuttack in Orissa, Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, Rai Bareilly in UP and Mohali in Punjab. Govt. of India planned to support these centers with only three crores,Twenty nine Lacs rupees.
Hon’ble Chief Minister of Punjab, Sh. Parkash Singh Badal, visited Indian Spinal Injury Centre, New Delhi to see one of his associate Sh. Balian, the then MLA who sustained spinal cord injury and was convalescence at Indian Spinal Injury Centre at New Delhi. This visit of Hon’ble Chief Minister sowed the seed for development of similar centre at Mohali.
First Governing Body of Regional spinal Injuries Centre was constituted in 2000 under the Chairmanship of Sh. Gobind Singh Kanjla ,Hon’ble Cabinet Minister of Social Security and Women & Child Development Punjab in line with Indian Spinal Injury Centre at New Delhi which was also headed by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Govt. of India. It was decided that this centre will function temporarily at Department of Orthopaedics, GMCH-32, Chandigarh under Prof Dr Raj Bahadur. Since then the plans for making the centre were started. The responsibility of construction was given to PSIEC and it was planned to have 10 bedded centre. Knowing the quantum of ailment in this part of the country from the data of patients coming to Government Medical College & Hospital Sector-32 and PGIMER, Chandigarh. It was impressed that RSIC should have a centre having facility of 25 beds at least in the first phase and eventually the capacity of the centre should increase to 50 beds.
Govt. of Punjab with it financial constraint approved funds in small installments. Since 2006 the brunt of activity of Regional Spinal Injuries Centre which included physiotherapy and occupational therapy were shifted to the present building even when the finishing of the building was still incomplete. As was desired by the Governing Body, MOU has been signed between Secretary Health& Medical Research Chandigarh Administration and Secretary Social Security, Women & Child Development, on behalf of Govt. of Punjab.
Since the institute has already made impact in the region, efforts need to be made to bring out the total potential of this project which would be possible with regular funding in the plan and non-plan budget and sanctioning of few regular posts. Centre envisage to come out as self sufficient unit without putting any burden on the state exchequer once it is fully established and till that time support of the State Govt. is mandatory.
Justification Of the Project
RSIC is a project under disability act & is fully funded & functional under the ambit of Govt. of Punjab. The hospital is basically a social service activity. The hospital has provided specialized treatment at subsidized rates to spinal cord injured persons & rehabilitation of such persons Coming from Northern Region & other far flung areas of the country.
In this regard it is informed that as per the initial scheme for setting up four such centers in India under Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 & national programme for rehabilitation of persons with disability under NPRPD. The concerned state had to (A) spare 5 acre of land (B) constitute a autonomous society to run it (C) Govt. of India shall sanction Rs 3.50 crore as one time grant(D) Future running shall be the responsibility of the concerned state. . Government of India will provide financial support for implementation/ running the centre subject to limits mentioned in the purpose. The funds will come from the state Government. It is expected that the centre would become self sufficient after the 5th years of operation. As per MOU with GOI, it is mentioned that in case there is any short fall in its revenue for meeting the recurring expenditure of the centre after 5 years the same would be met by the state concern as mentioned in the proposal
State Govt. as per the directions of GOI made an autonomous Society and registered under society act xxI1860 on 27TH April, 2001 on the name of Regional Spinal Injuries centre, Mohali .A governing body has been constituted under the chairmanship of Cabinet Minister of Social security, women and child development, Punjab. No numerations have been paid to any of the members. The executive body members are from the Govt. of Punjab by designation as follow:
| Members | Designation | Department |
|---|---|---|
| Hon'ble Minister | Chairman | Social Security Women & Child Development Punjab, Chandigarh |
| Hon,ble Minister | EX-officio Member | Health & Family Welfare, Punjab. |
| Secretary | Secretary | Social Security Women & Child Development Punjab Chandigarh |
| Director | Member Secretary | Social Security Women & Child Development Punjab Chandigarh |
| Project Director | Member | Vice Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences Faridkot |
| Director | Member | PGIMER Sector 12, Chandigarh |
| Director Principal | Member | Govt. Medical college & Hospital sector 32 , Chandigarh |
| Director | Member | Health Services Punjab, Chandigarh |
It is registered under XXI 1860 Society Act & is completely funded by Govt. of Punjab as grant in aid from its plan budget on year to year basis. Its administrative control is under Secretary Social Security Women & child Development Punjab Chandigarh .For providing technical support it has MOU with PGIMER(Autonomous institution under GOI and Chandigarh Administration .Recently for further strengthen its working Govt. of Punjab after approval from Ministry of Health &FW GOI has sanctioned 2 posts of Orthopedics specialists and 2 posts of Medical officers under NRHM scheme.
As such RSIC has only 20 working beds in partially built complete ground floor & ½ of first floor of the building, which is yet to complete the construction of ½ of the remaining 1st floor and complete second floor of Main Building. Bed strength needs to be increased at least to 30 beds with all the essential medical facilities under the same roof as per the project plan of Govt. of India. Recently RSIC has constructed 8 Private rooms (Single & Shared both) which shall generate some funds to cope up with the recurring cost.
As per the proposed plan it is yet to complete the construction of 1/2 of the remaining 1st floor and complete second floor of Main Building, Roads, Ramp, Electrical Substation work, electrical installation of cables, A C Ducting, UPS, EPBAX, Gen Set 200 KVA, lifts 3 Nos., Air Conditioning plant, Medical Gases, Fire Fighting, Nurse call System, Tube lights and fans Public address system and other fittings & fixtures is Rs. 1700.50 lacs.
The fees for OPD card may be Rs20/- on every visit. At present RSIC is charging Rs.50/- for 6 months.
Highlights of the Project of Regional Spinal Injuries Centre Sector 70, Mohali
- On 24.04.2000 the draft of Articles of Association as well as Memorandum of Association was approved by the Governing Body under the Chairmanship of Sh. Gobind Singh Kanjla Hon’ble Cabinet Minister for Social Security & Women and Child Development Punjab.
- On 30.05.2000, PUDA allotted five acres land for setting up Regional Spinal Injuries Centre on lease hold basis for 33 years as first stage from the date of allotment @ Rs. 1,45,200/- per annum.
- First Governing Body met on 02.11.2000 under the Chairmanship of Sh. Gobind Singh Kanjla Hon’ble Cabinet Minister for Social Security & Women and Child Development Punjab.
- Some furniture and physiotherapy equipments was sent to Govt. Medical College & hospital Sector 32, Chandigarh on 15.11.2000 which were procured from the funds given by Italian Govt.
- Decided to make it temporary functional at Govt. Medical College & hospital Sector 32, Chandigarh, for which the willingness of Dr. Raj Bahadur, HOD, Orthopedics was taken. Adviser to the Administrator, UT, Chandigarh conveyed the formal approval for temporary functioning of this centre at GMCH-32, Chandigarh w.e.f. 01.12.2000.
- Formal approval of UT Administration to make the centre functional at GMCH and it was decided to name the centre as “Regional Spinal Injuries Centre” SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab.
- This centre is Exemption from Income Tax under U/s 80G (V) of Income Tax Act 1961 since 2001 as well as Centre registered under Society Act in 2001.
- The centre was shifted from Govt. Medical College & hospital Sector 32, Chandigarh to present building on 27 March, 2006.
- Physiotherapy Outpatient services started on 1st April, 2006.
- Ramp, lift and construction of modular operation theatre started after 2006 which completed in 2008.
- Building designed as per the requirement of section 46 of the persons with disabilities (equal opportunities, protection of rights & full participation) Act, 1995 got Certified under Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 on 25th August 2008
- Procurement of equipments & instruments w.e.f 2008 till 2010.
- Occupancy Certificate was sanctioned from GMADA on 25th March 2010.
- Outpatient services started on 1st February 2011.
- Operative work started from 27th July 2011.