‘Use existing infra in Shillong, Tura medical colleges’
Leader of Opposition Donkupar Roy urged the State Government to utilize the infrastructure available in state hospitals to establish the Shillong and Tura medical Colleges.
Citing delay in the construction of the proposed medical colleges, Roy the Government to use the existing land and facilities at Shillong and Tura civil hospitals respectively or even the Ganesh Das Hospital here for the proposed medical colleges.
Reacting to the suggestion, Health and Family Welfare Minister, AL Hek said that there is no space in the existing hospitals to set up medical colleges.
Earlier, Hek while talking about the status of the proposed Shillong Medical College informed that the letter of award to KPC Medical college and Hospital, Jadavpur was issued on October 2012 and the concessionaire agreement was signed in the same year for the development of a hospital and a medical college under PPP arrangement at the site where Reid Chest Provincial Chest Hospital is located.
He, however, said that the land at the Reid Chest Provincial Chest Hospital could not be handed over to the party since the hospital is yet to be shifted to the new location at Umsawli.
“The process for construction of the new TB Hospital is on at Umsawli, Mawdiandiang,” he added.
Talking about the proposed Tura Medical College, the Minister said that land for the same has been acquired at Balalgre A King and Jewilgre and the letter of award of the work has been issued to Telecommunications Consultant India Limited.
“The TCIL team has started doing the preparatory activities relating to the preparation of the detailed project report,” he added.
Hek also informed that a land compensation amount of over Rs 30 crore has also been released for the land acquired for the proposed Tura Medical College.
Paul urges Govt to clear health workers’ salaries
UDP legislator Paul Lyngdoh on Tuesday urged the State Government to ensure that the salaries of casual workers of the Health department in Ri Bhoi are paid at the earliest.
Moving a call attention motion to a news item published in The Shillong Times under the heading “RBYF takes out black flag rally in Nongpoh”, dated March 12, Lyngdoh rued that salaries of casual workers of Health department have not been released for months now.
In reply, Minister in charge of Health and Family Welfare AL Hek said that the District Medical and Health Officer, Ri Bhoi had last year requested the DHS (MI) to allot Rs 5 lakh per month to clear the payment of wages of the causal workers due to them from August 1, 2014 amounting to Rs 15 lakh for a period of three months.However, the DHS later requested the State Government to advise on the matter as the budget under wages was not sufficient to meet the expenses as projected by the DMHO.
“The State Government then requested the DHS to locate funds by way of re-appropriation through savings. The same was complied with by the DHS which submitted the proposal by way of re-appropriation at an expenditure not exceeding Rs 30,30000 under the Medical and Public Health non plan for the period, from August 1, 2014 to February, 2015.
He further said that proposal is with the Finance department for sanction and as soon as it is obtained, necessary steps will follow for making the payment.
It may be mentioned that there are 101 casual workers in Ri Bhoi who have been engaged in different health delivery institutions.
68 officials, staff appointed in Kolkata M’laya House
Minister in charge of General Administration Department (GAD), HDR Lyngdoh on Tuesday informed that there are 68 officers and staff at Meghalaya House, Kolkata.
Giving further details while replying to a question, Lyngdoh informed that there is one Officer on Special Duty, movement officer, liaison officer, 12 lower division assistants, 16 bearers and five cleaners besides seven contractual employees and others in the Kolkata Meghalaya House.
Replying to a query by Mawlai MLA Embhahlang Syiemlieh, the Minister informed that grade IV employees of Meghalaya House, Kolkata are getting their salaries on time.
When Daddengre MLA James Sangma wanted to know the roles and responsibilities of the officer on special duty the Minister said the post is yet to be filled.
Managing committees in SSA schools in State
The state government is in the process of informing the school authorities to take a final decision on the composition of representation of parents and how the managing committee can be constituted in the SSA schools as per the RTE Act.
In reply to a supplementary question by UDP’s Jemino Mawthoh on whether 75 per cent representation of parents was included in the managing committees of schools as per the RTE Act, Deputy Chief Minister in charge Education R.C. Laloo said that the matter will be informed to the school authorities.
Earlier, to a question by Metbah Lyngdoh (UDP), Laloo said that the required fund proposed by the state government to the centre for 2014-15 under SSA scheme was Rs.45273.480 lakh. However, the amount earmarked by the central government for 2014-15 was Rs.35942.810 lakh and the fund received during 2014-15 from the Centre was Rs.12724.655 lakh.
Laloo said that the total share of the state government stood at Rs.3474.281 lakh.
Laloo also said that the state government had proposed setting up of 47 new schools, but only five schools were finally approved by the centre.
Salary of fourth teacher hiked
Laloo also informed the House that the salary of the fourth teachers in the state was increased to Rs. 6000 in February 1, 2011.
37 orphanages, two old age homes in Meghalaya
Social Welfare Minister Deborah Marak on Tuesday informed that there were 37 orphanages and two old age homes in the state and further informed that the government was providing various assistances to these orphanages and old age homes.
Three CHCs functioning without ambulances
Health Minister A.L. Hek informed that three Community Health Centres (CHCs) in the state did not have ambulances.
Leader of Opposition Donkupar Roy expressed concern over the matter and asked the government to provide ambulances to the CHCs.
In reply to a question by Roy, Hek said that the number of staff sanctioned for CHCs including CHCs run by NGOs in the state was 1173, while the number of appointments made was 1110. Some of staffs were deployed in PHCs also, the Minister informed.