Panaji, Oct 29 (IANS): Despite criticism, the BJP-led Goa government is committed to charging outstation patients availing facilities at state-run medical facilities, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said on Saturday.

"This is not a matter of right or wrong. Most Goans lag behind and those from outside (the state) queue up from 4.30 a.m. Whatever the criticism I will do it," Rane told reporters here.

"Our government has to protect the interest of the Goan people. We arae not denying anybody treatment, but some charges will be levied on outstation patients," he added.

The Goa Medical College and hospital near here and district hospitals in other towns like Mapusa in north Goa and Margao in south Goa often see streams of patients from the neighbouring districts like Sindhudurg in Marahastra and Karwar in Karnataka, in addition to local patients.

The state assembly has on several occasions discussed the need to charge outstation patients in order to ensure that state government-run health facilities are not overcrowded.

Rane also said that a protocol would be evolved for checking and verifying the identity of the patients in order to determine local patients from those from outside the state.