The Chief Ministerial candidate of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Uttarakhand, Ajay Kothiyal said that the State Government spends the least on the health sector among all Himalayan states as per the audit report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) which shows the apathy of the Government towards public health. Addressing the media here on Monday, Kothiyal said that rather than putting extra efforts to improve the state’s health sector, the government reduced spending on health facilities which continues to severely affect the health of citizens. As per the CAG audit report of 2019-20 which was recently presented in the state assembly session, the government decreased the capital expenditure in the public health sector which has a direct impact on the health of the public, stated Kothiyal. He said that the government had a budget of Rs 188 crore for health services in  2018 -19 but this budget was reduced to Rs 97 crore in 2019 –20. He said that observing how little the government is spending on health services here, the CAG itself has suggested that the government increase the budget of the health sector. He said that all successive state governments have failed to provide proper health services to the public in the last 21 years.

He said that it is a matter of serious concern that Uttarakhand emerged as the lowest budget spending state in health services among the Himalayan states as per CAG’s report. “There is still no proper air ambulance facility in the State for people in mountainous regions. Many people die every year across the state due to a lack of proper treatment. The government here is playing with the public’s health. Such concerns are also a major reason for migration in the state,” stated the AAP leader. He asserted that when AAP comes to power in the state next year, it will provide free and better healthcare facilities to the public.