Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju said that a rural health programme is being taken up on a large-scale under the National Rural Health Mission and Rajiv Arogya Sri programme. Inaugurating the three-day health camp being organised at the local JNTU College of Engineering campus on Sunday, the minister said that the government at the Centre was keen on extending medical facilities to people in rural areas on par with urban areas. The minister disclosed that Rs 8 lakh is being spent on the camp, with about 100 doctors from various eminent hospitals and 200 paramedical staff extending their services. Speaking on the occasion, district collector M. Subrahmanyam said that Rs 6.40 crore was spent in the district for the conduct of operations under the Rajiv Arogya Sri programme. He said that in addition to health programmes, sanitation was also being taken up under the rural health mission. Zilla parishad chairman Ch. Srinivasa Gopalakrishna, local legislator M. Gopalakrishna, city mayor K. Saroja and others participated.