Vij seeks CM’s intervention as ACS differs

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 17

Health Minister Anil Vij has sought CM Manohar Lal Khattar’s intervention after Dhanpat Singh, Additional Chief Secretary (Medical Education), refused to toe his line in a case of adjustment of students of Goldfield Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Ballabgarh (Faridabad), which was shut earlier this year.

Vij has invoked Rule 28 (1) (xxviii) of the Rules of Business of the Government of Haryana, 1977, which says that cases in which there is a difference of opinion between the minister in charge and the administrative secretary will be referred to the Chief Minister.

Vij wanted to adjust 50 students of the closed medical college into government colleges while ACS Dhanpat Singh was of the view that they can be shifted to private colleges only.

Vij confirmed having sought the CM’s intervention because he was convinced that the 50-odd students deserved to be admitted to government medical colleges on merit.

“After seeking opinion of the Legal Remembrancer and the Advocate-General based on a decision of the Supreme Court on these students, I had ordered their admission to government colleges. Even the VC of the University of Health Sciences did not have any problems. But I don’t know what is going on; they (ACS office) have again taken the opposite stand. Hence, I had no option than to invoke Rule 28 (1) (xxviii) to seek CM’s intervention,” said Vij.

“As many as 100 Goldfield institute students of the last batch (2014-15) had got admission on merit and were paying an annual fee of Rs 60,000 on the directions of the Supreme Court. While all of them were from the same category, the Medical Education Department sent only 50 of them to government colleges, asking the rest to go to private colleges that are demanding a prohibitive fee of Rs 13 to 15 lakh,” said Vij.

Dhanpat Singh, ACS( (Medical Education) could not be contacted since his office staff said he was on a visit abroad.