Bhubaneswar, May 1 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday launched 'Niramaya', a scheme under which 570 different medicines will be provided free in government hospitals.

Patnaik launched the scheme at Capital Hospital here.

Initially, the scheme will cover three government-run medical colleges and hospitals, 30 district headquarters hospitals besides Capital Hospital and Rourkela government hospital, Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak told reporters here.

The minister said it will be extended to other government hospitals at block level, sub-divisional and primary health centres in the coming days.

He said the state government has made a budgetary allocation of Rs.200 crore for distribution of free medicine.

However, presently the government would provide 272 different medicines at the hospitals.

The state government would distribute essential quality medicines through its procurement agency Odisha State Medical Corporation. Tertiary-level medicines for cancer and heart diseases will be part of the free drugs in government hospitals.