Shortage of doctors in ESI: Minister

Labour and Employment Minister Narendra Singh Tomar today said senior officers will be deputed to investigate complaints that some doctors of Bhubaneswar ESI hospital were engaged in private practice.
Replying to suplementaries in Rajya Sabha, he said if doctors are engaged in private practice it is a matter of serious concern and "I will be certainly deputing senior officers to investigate".
He said this when Pyarimohan Mohapatra (Ind) raised the issue during Question Hour.
The Employees' State Insurance (ESI) Hospital in Bhubaneswar is being run by the Odisha government.
Tomar admitted there was shortage of doctors and other paraphernelia in ESI and other government hospitals.

The Minister, however, said government always makes efforts to ensure availability of doctors of all faculties in hospitals.

He further informed that Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has taken up a project for up-gradation of the Bhubaneswar ESI hospital from 50 beds to 100 beds.
The project would be completd by March 2015, he said.
Meanwhile, replying to a question on rehabilitation package for people affected by Kosi river floods of 2008, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said whatever fund was required has been given.
Singh, however, said the Bihar government has not spent the entire World Bank grant of USD 220 million in this regard.

The Department of Economic Affairs had facilitated the external assistance package of USD 220 million for taking up reconstruction and rehabilitation works after the Kosi floods.