SRINAGAR, June 01: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Mr. Bali Bhagat today said that government has initiated the process of rationalization of staff to fill the shortage of doctors and other para medical staff in government hospitals adding that vacant posts of medicos and para medicos have been referred to the concerned recruitment agencies for selection and after receiving the selection list the said appointees would be posted in hospitals which lack such staff.

Replying to supplementaries raised by some members to the main question by Mr. Ravinder Raina, the Minister said that a proposal for establishment of 17 Trauma Care Facilities (TCF) in Government hospitals on National Highways was submitted to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for approval.

In reply to the main question, the Minister said that the building for NTPHC Sair Makri is being constructed under BADP at a cost of Rs. 55 lakh against which Rs. 21.88 lakh stands released to the executing agency up to the end of last fiscal. He said that the construction work of PHC Lamberi has been completed at a cost of Rs. 1.45 crore.

The Minister said that Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Nowshera is being upgraded to 100-beded hospital at an estimated cost of Rs. 15.78 crore against which Rs. 4.20 crore has been utilized on the project upto last fiscal and Rs. 4 crore been earmarked under NHM during current fiscal for the execution of the project.

The Minister further said that in SDH Sunderbani an additional 50-bedded block is coming up at an estimated cost of Rs. 17 crore against which Rs. 4.70 crore have been utilized upto last fiscal and an allocation of Rs. 4 crore has been earmarked during current financial year under NHM for the project.

Mr. Abdul Majid Paddar and Mr. Vikar Rasool raised supplementaries to the main question and demanded posting of adequate staff in the hospitals besides upgradation of health infrastructure in their constituencies.