Health issues dominate question hour in Haryana Vidhan Sabha

Availability of doctors and medicines in Nuh district and rising cancer cases in parts of Haryana dominated the question hour during the ongoing budget session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha today.

Govt transfers ₹3,309 cr under welfare schemes

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said the state government was committed to fulfilling promises made to the people.

He said on March 3, Rs 68 crore was released to 602 gaushalas across the state. On March 8, marking International Women’s Day, Rs 1,357 crore was transferred to around 35 lakh women beneficiaries under various schemes.

Overall, the government had transferred Rs 3,309 crore directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts in recent days under different welfare programmes.

Health Minister Arti Singh Rao said though the proposed geo-fencing system for monitoring attendance of doctors was sub judice, the government might consider linking salaries with biometric attendance at a later stage.

Congress MLA Mamman Khan raised concerns over the purchase of medicines at Al Afia General Hospital in Mandikhera through quotations between April 2023 and December 2025 while tenders were mandatory for other purchases. He also asked how many doctors posted at the hospital were staying in the district headquarters despite receiving special allowances and demanded the introduction of biometric attendance.

Replying to the query, Rao said quotations were permitted only in case of a shortfall. Reading from a letter, she said, “The doctors posted in Mandikhera are allowed to stay in adjoining districts of Gurugram, Faridabad and Rewari.” She added that the doctors’ hostels in Nuh had been “condemned”, hence doctors had been given the option to stay elsewhere.

While stating that geo-fencing had been introduced by the government but challenged in court, she said, “We will link salaries to attendance at some later stage.”

Meanwhile, Congress MLA Jarnail Singh raised concerns over increasing cancer cases in his constituency and asked whether the government planned to establish a cancer hospital in Fatehabad district.

“Each time we go to condole a death in the village, we are told that the death was on account of cancer. The disease is spreading very quickly in areas along the Ghaggar. This water is very poisonous while the canal water, too, is not drinkable anymore since villages around are diverting their dirty water into the canal,” he said.

Rao said the government was aware of the issue and steps were being taken to address the concerns.

Separately, Minister for Sainik and Ardh Sainik Welfare Rao Narbir Singh informed the House that the Ministry of Defence had approved the opening of a Sainik School at Matanhail village in Jhajjar district under the PPP mode. For the project, 60 acres would be transferred from the gram panchayat.

He said the demand for the school dated back to 1987 when the then Chief Minister Devi Lal had announced it.

At present, two Sainik Schools are functioning in Haryana — Sainik School Kunjpura and Sainik School Rewari.

Congress MLA Geeta Bhukkal, who raised the issue, said all formalities for land transfer had been completed and demanded 10 per cent reservation for local students and jobs for locals in Group D posts.

Singh said admission provisions would be decided as per rules of the Defence Ministry and the demand regarding employment for locals would also be considered.