In a bid to improve healthcare facilities in the state, Punjab will spend Rs.342 crore on the construction of new hospitals and upgradation of existing ones, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said here Thursday.

'We are committed to providing world-class healthcare facilities throughout the state. We will provide modern healthcare facilities to the public with special focus on people in rural areas,' Badal told reporters.

He added: 'Currently there are seventeen 100-bedded hospitals against the requirement of 20, fifty-six 50-bedded hospitals against 77, ninety-three 30-bedded community health centres against 130. Therefore, we will spend the money on constructing hospitals and health centres in all categories.'

Badal said that a new 100-bed hospital would be set up at Nawansahar town and two such hospitals would be upgraded from 50- and 60-beds at Muktsar and Tarn Taran towns respectively.

He said that all hospitals and new health centres will be completed by August 31, 2011.

Talking about the recruitment of doctors, Badal said: 'As many as 376 doctors, against the gap of 566, will be recruited in the coming months. Remaining 190 would be recruited thereafter.'