Imphal, Nov. 11: Union minister for health and family welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda today said a cancer centre would be set up at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences here at a cost of Rs 45 crore.

The minister also said the neonatal intensive care unit of the institute would be upgraded to a 20-bed facility.

Nadda, who arrived here yesterday along with Union minister for women and child development Maneka Gandhi, attended a workshop on the dissemination of information on the programmes and schemes of the health ministry, organised by the State Health Society under the National Health Mission in Manipur.

He said the Centre has decided to take up health orientation camps all over the Northeast so that public representatives can be made aware of the health schemes, programmes and initiatives taken up by the government in collaboration with the northeastern states.

"The orientation programmes will be organised after the new state legislatures are elected but we intend to initiate the workshops ahead of the elections. We are very close to achieving the millennium development goals. We have been able to support the state in the last three years with Rs 274 crore in the health sector. We have provided support to approximately 2,126 human resource persons in the state health sector and are ready to support more according to the demands of the state government," Nadda said.

"The government of India has special packages for the hill states. The National Health Mission for the Flexible Pool has been giving 3.2 per cent extra weight to the hill states, including Manipur. In other states the financial support is 60:40, that is 60 per cent by the Centre and 40 per cent by the state. But for the hill states, the Prime Minister has offered a special package at the ratio of 90:10. We are also developing a national resource centre in Guwahati for the region, which will provide technical support in capacity building and inputs regarding health issues and research," Nadda said.

The minister said the orientation programmes should continue so that the state legislature is educated about healthcare orientation to get effective results.

Maneka attended a community meeting at Chaoyaima HS School ground in Thoubal and visited some Anganwadi centres and child care institutions.

She is also scheduled to attend a review meeting with the principal chief secretaries and secretaries of women and child development at the old secretariat conference hall during her visit.

State health and family welfare minister D. Korungthang also attended the workshop.

Both ministers will leave Imphal tomorrow, a member of BJP Manipur said.