Shortage of doctors in Malwa region

| | Chandigarh
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Shortage of doctors in Malwa region

Saturday, 19 January 2019 | PNS | Chandigarh

Punjab Congress’ elected representatives from the six districts of Malwa region on Friday raised the issue of shortage of doctors and the affected health services due to it during their meeting with the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Friday.

Intervening, the Health Minister Brahm Mohindra apprised the meeting that 400 doctors had been recently recruited and posted in different hospitals against vacancies.

At the same time, Mohindra urged the Chief Minister to merge the 750 doctors serving in the Rural Development and Panchayats Department in the Health Department, which would ultimately help tide over the situation of shortage of doctors in the state to a considerable extent.

Quick to respond, the Chief Minister asked the Chief Secretary to get the proposal thoroughly examined in consultation with the Additional Chief Secretary (Health) and the Principal Secretary (Rural Development and Panchayats), and take an appropriate decision in this regard.

Mohindra further informed the Chief Minister that the Civil Hospital Mohali had been planned to be upgraded as Medical College from session 2019-20. “An inspection team from Medical Council of India would revisit before February 28, and the proposal for 168 posts of faculty and 826 posts of paramedics had been sent to Finance Department for approval,” he said.

Capt Amarinder, holding his third phase of pre-budget consultations with MLAs from six districts of Barnala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ludhiana, Patiala, SAS Nagar (Mohali) and Rupnagar, assured them that paucity of funds would not be allowed to hamper the pace of development works and wherever funds were needed for smooth completion of projects, the same would be release proactively.

He also directed the Principal Secretary (Local Government) to ensure that those development projects which were stuck up due to non-release of requisite funds should be examined on priority and necessary funds released forthwith.

Capt Amarinder also announced a development grant of Rs 208.40 crore for execution of various infrastructure works in the rural and urban areas of these districts under the umbrella programme of Smart Village campaign and Urban Environment Improvement Plan (UEIP).

He also asked the MLAs to prioritize development works within their assembly constituencies and submit list of works to be undertaken to their concerned Deputy Commissioners by January 31.

Another Rs 300 crore would be spent on the development works to be undertaken in the urban areas under UEIP, he said.

The Chief Minister also constituted a committee comprising Financial Commissioner (Revenue), Principal Secretary (Rural Development and Panchayats), Secretary (Industries), besides MLAs of Rajpura, Ghanaur and Fatehgarh Sahib, to suggest modalities to identify suitable land for setting up of a Mega Industrial Park at Rajpura over an area of 1000 acres.

Dispelling MLAs’ apprehensions regarding hefty electricity bills raised by the Powercom to the SC domestic consumers to whom the state had extended the facility of free 200 units, the Chief Minister said that he had already asked the Power Minister to examine the matter and find a viable solution.

The Chief Minister also announced that the State Government would soon come up with a special scheme of debt waiver for the rural landless labourers, who were passing through acute financial distress due to the current agrarian crisis.

Taking part in the discussions, Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu requested for more funds for repair of city roads and upgradation of sewerage system, and also sought Rs 50 Crores for construction of an approach road leading to the Hi-tech Cycle Valley.

Responding to a demand of Amloh MLA Randeep Singh, Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal agreed to set up a steel chamber at Mandi Gobindgarh and Sub Tehsil at Amloh.

Ludhiana East MLA Sanjeev Talwar raised the issue of regularisation and transfer of ownership rights to illegal occupants of municipal land, which could fetch substantial revenue to the state.

Fatehgarh Sahib MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra highlighted the role of higher education in resource development and, citing present financial plight of Punjabi University, demanded a special package for it. He also urged the Chief Minister to hold a special meeting in this regard and extend a liberal financial package to GNDU Amritsar and PAU Ludhiana.

Gill MLA Kuldeep Singh Vaid urged the Chief Minister to bring in a legislation for allowing a bull cart race in Kila Raipur Rural Games, besides requesting him for one ITI Centre for his constituency.

Samrala MLA Amrik Singh Dhillon asked for strict enforcement to check smuggling of liquor in order to plug the pilferage of excise and enhance its revenue.

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