Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 8: Legislative Assembly was today adjourned after People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members stormed into Well of the House, demanding a full debate on the functioning of Health Department after they alleged that Speaker didn’t allow them to ask supplementary questions on the issue.
This was the first adjournment of the autumn session that began here on September 30. However, the debate was later allowed after the NPP MLAs and ruling coalition MLAs also favoured the discussion on the issue.
The PDP members demanded that they should be allowed to ask supplementaries on health care infrastructure in their respective areas. However, Speaker Mubarak Gul refused to permit all the PDP members since other members of the House also wanted to ask supplementaries.
“You select one person from your party who will ask the supplementary since I have already allowed two PDP members, including party leader Mehbooba Mufti to ask supplementaries”, the Speaker said.
Members from National Panthers Party (NPP), some ruling National Conference (NC) and Congress members were also on their feet demanding that they too should be allowed to ask supplementaries.
However, when the Speaker ruled that he cannot allow all PDP members, they stormed into the Well of the House raising slogans, demanding a full discussion.
They alleged that Public Health Centres (PHCs) and First Aid Centres (FAC) were not being opened in their areas when there are more than enough in the constituencies of ruling party members.
“Bandar Bant Nahee Chalagey, Asha Ka Paisa Khanay Walay Hai Hai,” the PDP members shouted in the Well of the House. Gul, however, asked PDP members, who kept on shouting near his chair, to give a notice for full discussion on the issue.
The PDP members refused to resume their seats and other members were also on their feet Gul adjourned the House for 10 minutes, five minutes before the end of the Question Hour.
Speaking on the issue during the discussion, Congress MLA, GM Saroori warned that the coalition Government is in danger if it doesn’t sanction 10 Primary Health Centres to district Doda.
The BJP members cheered Saroori by thumping the table for his statement. However, Saroori retorted: “We do not need your support and appreciation. We can make a coalition with them, pointing his right hand toward PDP members.”
Saroori said that Government neglected rural areas of the State in Health sector and gave preference to urban areas by allotting Specialty Hospitals to Srinagar and Jammu.
Speaking on the occasion, PDP MLA Abdul Gani Veeri said that Government has issued more health centres to the constituencies of ruling party while those of the Opposition were neglected.
The PDP members while giving example of Chrar-e-Sharif constituency of Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather said that there are 10 PHCs in his constituency while there is only one PHC in Opposition leader Mehbooba Mufti’s Wachi constituency.
The PDP members alleged that Government has been partial in sanctioning of the health centres. They demanded end to the disparity and they should be sanctioned on the basis of population.
However, Rather said that these health centres were sanctioned to his constituency some 15 years ago. He dismissed the allegations levelled against him by the PDP MLAs.
Speaking on the discussion, NPP leader Harshdev Singh said that the Health Department’s health is in bad shape. He said that it needs to take care of its own health as it is sick and on ventilator.
The NPP MLA said that health centres are sanctioned on the basis of political and personal considerations in cities and towns to adjust the relatives of politicians.
Singh said that Government has sent a proposal of Rs 26, 000 crore to the Centre for upgradation of medical infrastructure but they have failed to pursue it.
However, Minister of State for Health, Shabir Ahmad Khan in his reply said that providing better medicare facilities to the people tops agenda of the Government. He said that during over four years several reformative measures were taken to revamp the overall health scenario across the State. He said upgradation of health infrastructure, expansion of health institutions, filling up of vacant posts of doctors and Para medical staff received high attention of the Government.
The Minister enumerated various measures taken for the overall development of heath sector in the State. He said Government is going to establish 600 new health centers in the State with funding by Central Government under NRHM. He said by opening these centres as many as 2400 skilled unemployed youth would get employment in the State.
Shabir assured that while establishing these health centers, recommendations of the House Committee besides the prevalent norms fixed by the Government would be implemented in all constituencies.
The Minister said that Centre has released funds for purchase of 200 ambulances to the State adding that bidding process for these has been initiated. He said that these ambulances would be issued on need basis with preference to the health institutions in remote and hilly areas.
Shabir said that at present as many as 214 hospital buildings are under construction requiring Rs 800 crore for completion. He said this year Rs 71.74 crore has been projected under NRHM and Government has requested to enhance the allocation for raising hospital infrastructure under NRMH.
The Minister said that efforts are on to fill all vacant vacancies in health institutions, adding that 759 vacancies of doctors and para-medical posts stands referred to concerned recruitment agencies while 150 doctors under NRHM have been selected and posted in far flung areas during this year. He said that incentives for doctors working in far off and hilly areas under NRHM have already been enhanced.
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