Fill PGI vacancies regularly: RS panel

Naina Mishra

Chandigarh, October 19

The Parliamentary Standing Committee of Rajya Sabha has, in its latest report tabled in September last month, once again pointed out vacancies and pending projects at the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences And Research (PGI).

The committee has noted under Group A medical category, out of the sanctioned strength of 743, 139 posts are lying vacant, while in Group A non-medical category, 112 out of the sanctioned strength of 248 are lying vacant.

The committee has noted despite the PGI filling vacancies twice a year i.e. in July and December, 36 posts of Professor, against the sanctioned strength of 70, and 91 of Assistant Professor, against the sanctioned strength of 652, are lying vacant. The committee has recommended that the vacant post be filled on a regular basis within a specified period.

The committee has also noted there has been an inordinate delay in the setting up of PGI’s satellite centre at Sangrur (Punjab).

The committee has sought the reason behind extending deadlines when the project is almost complete. The committee has further noted inordinate delay by the executing agency in modernising Research Block ‘A’ & ‘B’ and Nehru Hospital. The long-pending project had been entrusted to NBCC India Ltd in March, 2013.

The committee has asked the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to appoint a project management consultant agency at the earliest for the modernisation project and development of PGI’s Sarangpur campus, besides holding regular review meetings to monitor the progress of both projects.