The Centre has initiated a cancer detection programme in 100 districts in the country. The Health Minister, Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad said this in reply to supplementaries in the Rajya Sabha today. He said this is a pilot programme at a cost of one hundred crore rupees. Replying to the main question on the prevalence of cancer in Bhatinda, Patiala and Hoshiarpur districts of Punjab, he said a Regional Centre for cancer detection has been recommended by an expert group set up by the Centre. He said, a team from the Indian Council of Medical Research, ICMR, has noted a higher occurrence of cancer in the Malwa region as compared to other areas of Punjab. The reasons for this difference are not clear.