Shimla, Feb 18 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh BJP President Rajeev Bindal on Wednesday said the condition of health services in Sirmaur “are alarming with diagnostic tests have become expensive, registration slips now carry charges, medicines are in short supply, doctor strength has reduced”.
He said three Primary Health Centres and one Community Health Centre have been closed, the Himcare scheme has become ineffective, and even Ayushman cards are not being attended to.
He said “this situation represents grave injustice with the people of Sirmaur district and the Nahan constituency”.
Referring to a report presented by the Governor, he said the document clearly “shows that medical colleges in Chamba, Hamirpur and Tanda and Chamiyana Super Speciality Hospital and the IGMCH, both in Shimla, have received financial assistance in different forms, while the Nahan college “stands completely at zero”.
Former Health Minister Bindal said the construction work of the Nahan Medical College has remained stalled for over three years.
He said the entire funding for the project was provided by the Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “but no clear account has been maintained regarding utilization of funds”.
He questioned: “Why has the 11-storey building and proposed 500-bed hospital not become operational yet? Why has the 50-bed Mother and Child Hospital project remained pending for over three years? And where has the sanctioned amount for the nursing college gone?”
He alleged that Congress leaders attempted to put the entire blame on the Central government and used objectionable language, which the BJP strongly protested.
Bindal said, “Despite receiving nearly Rs 27,000 crore in Revenue Deficit Grants and thousands of crores more under various heads in the past three and a half years, institutions are closing, development has stalled, and people are suffering, but where has the money gone?”
He said it was on this issue that the BJP delegation registered its protest and walked out of the all-party meeting called ahead of the Budget session.
The BJP state President asserted that in the past 40 months the Centre has extended unprecedented support to Himachal Pradesh across all development sectors, yet due to alleged financial mismanagement and administrative failure by the state government, the state has been pushed onto the back foot.
–IANS
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