Just a day after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal found long queue outside the pharmacy of the GTB Hospital in a surprise visit, he on Friday requested lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal to recruit more pharmacists in Government-run hospitals in national Capital.
“On Friday, again, I plead before you with folded hands to please take immediate steps to recruit more pharmacists to provide relief to the patients,” the CM wrote to the l-G.
The vacant posts in the hospitals have become a bone of contention between Baijal and Kejriwal with both blaming each other for the delay in recruitment.
However, in his letter, Kejriwal said, “My intention is not to find faults or point fingers.” Kejriwal had told Baijal that 2,169 posts were lying vacant in hospitals as the latter had approved a decision to hire only retired personnel, and added that not enough retired personnel were available.
Kejriwal alleged that the Government was being kept in the dark about the decision . “I would also be grateful if necessary directions are issued to all officers to stop hiding files from the elected Government,” he said.
On other hand, responding to CM’s allegation, Baijal had said the proposal to appoint retired employees to fill the vacancies was moved by the Health and Family Welfare Department on directions of the Chief Minister in a meeting on August 8, 2017.
“The minutes of that meeting were also issued by the CM Office. Therefore, it is surprising that the CM has now raised questions regarding the filling up of vacant posts with retired personnel,” said the l-G.