Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 4: Contrary to the Government’s claims to have established state of the art health facilities in the State owned health institutes in Jammu and Kashmir, which had also bagged “State of States Award” in Health Sector in 2015 by a Media Group, the reality speaks of a different picture.
Several political Bigwigs, including incumbent and former ministers and legislators have withdrawn millions of rupees from State Government on the name of health care claims and medical reimbursement for themselves as well as for the their family member’s treatment.
Surprisingly even for minor health problems like dental, fatty liver, diabetes and hearing aid, these legislators preferred private healthcare institutions outside the State like Ganga Ram, Apollo, Batra etc, instead of availing the treatment in the State and thus causing loss to the State exchequer.
These revelations have been made by RTI activists and convener of Sangarsh RTI Movement, Balvinder Singh, while addressing a press conference, here today.
While quoting the rules vide SRO-468, which makes provision for getting medical treatment outside the State only in cases where the same treatment is not available in the State, Singh said that the information under RTI reveals that in 99 percent cases, Director Health Services Srinagar/ Jammu have referred the treatment outside the State even when it was available in the State and thereby caused huge loss to the State exchequer.
Listing some examples where Govern-ment employees were denied treatment outside the State their medical claims are rejected citing rules, the RTI activist revealed that one legislator who has also remained Finance Minister in the State, claimed medical bills for 80 times and withdrew a total amount of Rs 7,90,927 from State treasury. This ex minister owns declared asset of Rs 4.47 crore.
“Even a serving Cabinet Minister of the State Government having declared assets worth 11.00 crore did not pay his medical bills from his own pocket and preferred to withdraw a meagre amount of Rs 2336 from State Govern-ment,” Singh disclosed.
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