Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 18: The opposition PDP and even the ruling coalition members grilled the Minister Incharge Health Shabir Khan on the issue of alleged backdoor appointments in the Health and Medical Education Department on the mere plea of “need basis” and sought reply from the Government as to what was the urgency and why all other deserving candidates of the State were ignored to participate in the recruitment/ engagements.
The issue was raised during Question Hour in the Legislative Council by PDP member Mohd Ashraf Mir. Another PDP member Sayed Asgar Ali also strongly contested and sought reply from the minister as to why such a large number of persons were engaged on pick and choose manner and engaged in hospitals. The PDP members asked what was the compulsion or urgency or it was just to provide benefit to the favourites. They asked whether Government would hold an inquiry into these back door appointments and identify who are these people engaged on many posts including technicians and other higher grade posts. Why opportunity was not given to others and Boards not constituted for the purpose to give fair chance to other deserving people. They also referred to the condition of G B Pant hospital and the crisis witnessed there during last year.
National Conference Members Bashir Ahmed Veeri and Javed Rana and Congress member, Ghulam Nabi Monga also raised supplimentaries and sought to know about the fate of inquiry ordered by the Government some time back regarding such appointments in Kashmir. Veeri pointed out that there was no mention of Mattan and Bijbehara regarding such appointments in the detail provided by minister while the fact is that many were engaged there also. They asked whether such engagements were done as per norms or in violation of standing norms. Whether “Need basis” word is covered under the norms, they asked.
The members put the minister in `uneasy’ position as he had earlier replied that no person had been engaged on the Hospital Development Fund by Principal Medical College Srinagar and Director Health Services Kashmir. He however, admitted that as temporary measure to run the hospitals affairs smoothly and in the interest of patient care, engagements have been made in Associated Hospitals of Medical College Srinagar/ Health Institutions of the Health Services Kashmir on the recommendations of Chairman Rogi Kalyan Samiti (Concerned MLA). While giving data of the appointments, the minister claimed that these people can not claim regular service.
Replying to another question, Mr Khan said there was no prescribed criteria for such engagements, however, the engagements in the past have been made on need basis to run the hospital affairs on the recommendations of Rogi Kalyan Samitis. The Chairman tried to cool down the members but as they strongly pressed for the response again
the minister admitted that an inquiry in this connection has already been ordered and after the report comes, the Government will take appropriate steps.
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