Dehradun, May 20 (IANS): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttarakhand has hiked the rates of private and government blood banks, an official said on Saturday.
Blood will now cost Rs 450 per unit across, up from the previous Rs 350 per unit.
The government also stated that in case a patient admitted at a private hospital or nursing home requires blood and takes it from a government blood bank, instead of the previous rate of Rs 400 per unit, he or she will now have to shell out Rs 1,000.
The opposition Congress has slammed the move and said it was "anti-people" and will make blood in times of medical emergencies dearer and out of reach.
State Congress president Preetam Singh said the decision was also inhuman and sought an immediate reversal of the decision.