Chandigarh, Feb 18 (IANS): The Punjab Cabinet on Tuesday approved creation of 550 posts in the Government Medical Colleges at Patiala and Amritsar with the objective of further improving and streamlining the functioning of these institutions.

The new posts would 66 paramedics of technical nature, 464 critical posts of nurses, technicians and class IV employees and 20 posts in lab projects, an official spokesperson said after the meeting of the Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

These posts would be instrumental in putting into use the medical machinery, equipment and infrastructure, lying idle due to paucity of staff, thus providing better healthcare services to the people, said the spokesperson.

In addition, the Cabinet gave the nod for creation and filling of five new posts in the Directorate of Medical Education and Research, along with revival of the already sanctioned nine posts under its restructuring plan.