Kalia seeks report on casual workers’ number

PATIALA, Dec 3: Punjab Health Minister Manoranjan Kalia here today directed the Patiala civil surgeon to submit a report to him on the nu...

PATIALA, Dec 3: Punjab Health Minister Manoranjan Kalia here today directed the Patiala civil surgeon to submit a report to him on the number of casual workers engaged by the Health Department in the past one year.

The Minister who was addressing a press conference before presiding over the state-level Pulse Polio function issued these directions when it was pointed out to him that about 150 workers had been engaged on DC rates in the district over and above the sanctioned strength of the Class IV staff in the department. This had resulted in a drain on the contingency funds of the department which had got exhausted in a short span. However, the civil surgeon, Dr Kartar Singh Johar who was present on the occasion, pointed out that there were at present only 46 such workers in the department.

Referring to the installation of a Ram Jyoti in the Mata Kaushalaya Hospital here, the health minister said he had not received the report of the inquiry committee so far. The civil surgeon who had got a probe conducted into the matter said that the report had been sent to the director of health services. The Minister said that he would initiate action on the report when it was put up before him.

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Kalia offered to have a probe conducted into alleged irregularities committed in the purchase of medicines. It was pointed out to him that the health authorities here had been purchasing medicines locally even though enough stocks of certain of these medicines had been supplied by the Directorate of Health Services.

He said that 500 condom vending machines had been installed at various places in the state and it was proposed to have more outlets to distribute free condoms.

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