The 150-bed Government Maternity Hospital in Tirupati, which caters to the Rayalaseema districts and Nellore, will be upgraded into a 300-bed unit with all modern facilities and funds in a month, according to Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy.

Addressing medical and paramedical staff at the hospital, after conducting a surprise inspection, Mr Reddy said that the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) would provide free meals to patients and their wards in the hospital three times a day hereafter, as against the one time facility existing now.

He hinted that the free meals facility in all government hospitals in the state was on the anvil. He also assured safe drinking water facility, additional oxygen units, and two more anaesthesia units for the hospital, apart from increasing medical and paramedical strength.

Earlier, he went round the hospital wards and blocks for an hour, interacting with patients and staff.

He expressed satisfaction over sanitation.

Later, the CM inspected the SC welfare hostel at Chennareddy Colony and interacted with students regarding the facilities provided to them. He asked the district administration to study the feasibility of additional hostel buildings at the premises as the existing one had started showing signs of dilapidation.

At Srikalahasti, the Chief Minister announced that over 95 lakh farmers who cleared loans on time would be provided with Rs.31,000 crore-worth loans at zero per cent interest, while 1.4 crore women of self-help groups would be provided with Rs.1,000 crore loans under the Indira Kranti Patham scheme with no interest.

Tirupati MP, Dr Chinta Mohan, Mines Minister Galla Arunakumari, in-charge minister Raghuve-era Reddy, Tirupati MLA K. Chiranjeevi and local Congress leaders were present. District police deplo-yed over 1,000 personnel for security.