Appointment of medical specialists on the anvil, says Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij

Geetanjali Gayatri

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Chandigarh, February 27

There are over 26 per cent vacancies in the medical officer cadre in the state while 38 per cent of posts of Senior Medical Officer (SMO) are vacant even as the Health Department is in the process of employing specialists under a separate cadre.

Khattar backs Sandeep Singh

In response to a question on sports stadia being in poor condition in Jhajjar, Minister of State for Printing and stationery Sandeep Singh got up to respond. Congress MLA Geeta Bhukkal objected, saying that he was not the Sports Minister. CM Manohar Lal Khattar countered it by saying that Sandeep Singh was a part of the council of ministers and any minister could be asked to reply to a question.

This was stated by Health Minister Anil Vij during question hour of the ongoing Budget session of the Vidhan Sabha here today, in response to a question by Congress MLA Jagbir Malik. Admitting that there was a shortage of doctors despite the government recruiting 608 medical officers in the last nine years, he said a drive to employ specialists was on the cards and they would be posted according to requirement. “The CM has approved the same and it is pending with the Finance Department,” Vij told the House.

Haryana Urban Local Bodies Minister Kamal Gupta said investigation with regard to complaint about wards of the Faridabad MC had been entrusted to the MC Commissioner and investigation was underway.

Gupta was responding to a question raised by MLA Neeraj Sharma. He informed the House that the then MC Commissioner constituted a committee comprising a Joint Commissioner, Chief Engineer, and Zonal and Taxation Officer (Headquarters) to investigate the issue.

He said the names of the officers who made payment/recommendation for the works mentioned in the CAG report and ACB investigation report had also been given. However, Sharma wanted to know why payments made after 2020 were not being investigated since a large amount had been released after that.