New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS): The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) Tuesday approved a scheme for strengthening tertiary care cancer facilities in India at a cost of Rs.4,697 crore, an official statement said.

According to the statement, the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, CVDs and Stroke (NPCDCS), approved by the CCEA, seeks to enhance the tertiary care cancer facilities available in the country, address spatial imbalances and reduce waiting period for diagnosis and treatment.

It also intends to provide access to free/affordable facilities for the poor and increase availability of human resources trained for cancer.

The central government will help the state and union territory governments in setting up State Cancer Institutes (SCI) and Tertiary Care Cancer Centres (TCCC).

Besides enhancing the physical (equipment) capacity, the scheme will help strengthen teaching and research facilities for cancer in the states.

The plan will help in increasing radio therapy/medical oncology and other cancer related facilities in underserved areas and bed capacities for in-patient treatment will also increase, said the statement.

As many as 20 SCIs and 50 TCCCs will be established in different parts of the country.

Financial assistance of upto Rs.120 crore and Rs.45 crore would be provided for each SCI and TCCC respectively.

In addition to diagnosis and treatment, the assisted institutions will impart training to doctors, nurses, technicians and also mentor the activities pertaining to prevention, early detection, treatment and rehabilitation being undertaken in various districts.