Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak has questioned the Additional Chief Secretary (Medical and Health), Amit Mohan Prasad, over the transfer of doctors in the state.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak has questioned the Additional Chief Secretary (Medical and Health), Amit Mohan Prasad over the transfer of doctors in the state in his absence.
According to sources, Pathak, who also holds the medical and health portfolios, was unhappy about the fact that the transfer list of doctors was issued while he was away attending the BJP’s national executive meeting in Hyderabad.
After his return, he wrote to Amit Mohan Prasad, the additional chief secretary, stating that it had come to his notice that proper procedure was not followed for the transfer of doctors across the state as per the policies.
“Thus, provide the complete details of all those who have been transferred along with the reasons for their transfer,” he stated.
He said he was told that specialist doctors were transferred from districts where they were needed in big hospitals, including Lucknow, and no substitutes were appointed in their place. He also sought details of the arrangements made for the smooth conduct of medical services after the transfer of such a large number of doctors from important and big hospitals.
The Opposition has termed the transfers a scam. Speaking to India Today, Congress MLC Deepak Singh said there were scams taking place in all departments and officers were making transfers under the nose of the minister on their own free will.
Samajwadi Party leader Manoj Pandey has also termed the objection raised by the minister as a major failure of the department. Pandey said the secretary and the officers concerned do not have the right to transfer on their own, so it is clearly visible that the minister does not have the trust of his officers, who are transferring without knowledge.
The SP party chief had raised questions from the Opposition on Tuesday, in response to which Pathak did not say anything, but the other Deputy CM Keshav Prasad gave advice to Akhilesh Yadav.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said they do not need the certificate of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. He said that Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, being a departmental minister, had the right to question the transfer or seek answers from the officer.
Earlier, after becoming the Health Minister, Brijesh Pathak had held the officials responsible for the irregularities coming in the CHC, including the district hospital, by visiting many different districts, including Lucknow. Apart from this, suspensions were also made due to disturbances in the stock of medicines and not getting the right treatment to the patient by waiting in lines, due to which there is already a stir in the department.
It is believed that the tug of war between the health officials and the government can be seen to some extent behind this transfer case. Although the secretary is less of the opinion that the transfers that have been made are as per the rules, the questions raised by the Health Minister are that of transfer by going above the rules.
WHAT DO RULES SAY
If seen according to the rules of the department, the minister directs the transfer process on the basis of policy to an official authorise to implement transfer of behalf, by whom the transfer under this process is to be done as per rules. To transfer, the approval of the minister is taken in advance and not every transfer is in the eyes of the minister. Only those transfers in which an applicant is requested to transfer or cancel on his personal or administrative grounds, the Minister has the right to direct the Secretary.
Talking on this matter, political analyst Ratan Mani Lal said that according to the rules regarding transfer policy, the minister already appoints his authority and transfers take place on the basis of the policy, but the rules have been raised in the manner in which Brijesh Pathak has raised questions over its relevance. The way in which they were transferred is wrong which is visible. This case shows the administrative disparity between the officials of the Health Department and the Deputy Chief Minister Brijesh Pathak and the fairness of this entire matter will come to the fore only after the investigation.
