The issue of Himcare and Sahara, two ambitious schemes launched in the health sector by the previous BJP government of Himachal Pradesh, echoed in the Himachal Assembly on Monday. The present Congress government will strengthen these two schemes by improving them so that the eligible and helpless people can actually get the benefits of this scheme. This announcement was made by Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu during the Question Hour on Monday in response to a joint question asked by MLAs Sudhir Sharma, Rakesh Jamwal, Indra Singh Gandhi, Trilok Jamwal and Randhir Sharma regarding Himcare and Sahara Yojana.
The Chief Minister said that after receiving complaints of irregularities in the Himcare scheme, especially the benefits being given to private hospitals, the government has decided to improve this scheme. Under this, the government has withdrawn the facility of treatment under the Himcare scheme in private hospitals. Along with this, the employees have also been excluded from the facility of treatment under the Himcare scheme. He alleged that the previous government had empanelled 137 private health institutions of the state for treatment under the Himcare scheme so that they could be given more money.
Sukhu said that liabilities of Rs 355 crore of Himcare scheme are still pending. Out of this, liabilities of more than Rs 127 crore are of private health institutions, while Rs 227 crore are of government health institutions. He said that the government has released an amount of Rs 60 crore for IGMC, Tanda and PGI under the Himcare scheme.
A committee is investigating the irregularities in the Himcare scheme
He said that the cabinet sub-committee is investigating the irregularities in the Himcare scheme. He said that the government will implement this scheme with complete transparency and the suggestions given by the cabinet sub-committee will be considered. He also said that irregularities have not only happened in the Himcare scheme but also in the Ayushman Bharat scheme. He said that the government will further strengthen the Sahara scheme. Also, ineligible people will be excluded from it.
The Chief Minister said that when the Congress came to power, the health services in the state were in a bad state. He said that most of the health institutions in the state had become referral hospitals and finally the patients were referred to PGI. Our government thought about this and decided to strengthen institutions like Tanda and IGMC. He said that the government is going to adopt the best health system to improve health services in the state. Robotic surgery is the main one in this.
200 doctors will be recruited through Public Service Commission
The Chief Minister said that the government is going to recruit doctors and nurses on a large scale in IGMC and Tanda. Under this, a recommendation has also been sent to the Public Service Commission for the recruitment of 200 doctors. He said that till regular recruitments are made, the government will recruit doctors and nurses on outsource basis in these two institutions.
