New Delhi: Opposition parties on December 13 continued their boycott of Defence Minister George Fernandes with Congress, Left parties, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and other members of Parliament staying away from the Parliamentary Consultative Committee meeting attached to his ministry.

Only five members turned up at the meeting, which was called to take stock of medical facilities and other grievances of ex-servicemen and war widows.

The members present were Jayshree Banerjee and Balwant Apte (both Bharatiya Janata Party), Capt Inder Singh (Indian National Lok Dal), Mansoor Ali Khan (Bahujan Samaj Party) and Swaraj Kaushal (Haryana Vikas Party).

At the meeting as part of moves to expand medical facilities for ex-servicemen, Fernandes said 123 more poly-clinics would be set up and medical facilities in 104 existing stations expanded.

He said the new scheme launched for ex-servicemen would provide them, war widows and their dependents medical treatment on the pattern of Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS).

Fernandes said medical facilities at 104 military stations would be augmented at a capital cost of Rs 49 crore with an additional Rs 52 crore annual recurring expenditure.

He said 123 new stations where population of ex-servicemen was more than 2,500 would be set up at a cost of Rs 69 crore and at an annual recurring cost of Rs 98 crore.

The minister said ex-servicemen, war widows and their dependents would also be reimbursed the cost of medicines and fees for treatment by specialist, adding this would cost the exchequer about Rs 201 crore.

PTI