In absence of Government Order (GO), the important decision of the State Chief Minister Harish Rawat to provide reprieve to the people from the effect of demonetisation move by allowing them free medical facilities in all Government hospitals of State is not getting implemented. On Sunday after holding a meeting with senior officers of State Health Department, the Chief Minister declared that the people of Uttarakhand can get free treatment and other facilities in Government hospitals for next three months by showing an identity card issued in the State. This decision was taken to help people facing currency shortage triggered by the scraping of Rs 1000 and 500 currency notes by the Government. However in the Government hospitals this order is yet to be enforced. “ Many people are asking us not to charge any money as Chief Minister has made the declaration but we are politely refusing them as we have not got any such order from the Medical Superintendent,’’ said a personnel manning the cash counter of the associated hospital of Government Doon Medical College (GDMC). When contacted the Medical Superintendent of the hospital Dr KK Tamta said that he has not received any GO for the declaration. He said that the order would be implemented as soon as it is received.
The CM in his order has made it clear that only those having ID issued in the State would be eligible for the relief under which all the facilities availed by MSBY card holders would be extended to those who don’t possess the card.
“If the intension of the Chief Minister was to provide relief to the people suffering from cash crunch then his order should be immediately implemented. The position of availability of the currency is getting better day by day and if the order of CM is implemented after some days it would not serve its purpose,’’ said Mahendra Kukreti, a resident of Kanwali road. Meanwhile the doctors are not happy with the idea of free medical checkup and diagnostic tests.
“It will trigger a great rush to the Government hospitals and would create chaos. Further the three month period of the exemption is too long and would put huge burden on already creeking infrastructure of the hospitals,’’ said one of a senior doctor.