By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 19 Feb: Bhagwanpur MLA Mamata Rakesh of Congress raised the issue of establishing a government medical college in Bhagwanpur in district Haridwar, under Rule 58 concerning adjournment of work to raise important issues. She claimed that she has been raising this demand since several years. Leader of the Opposition Yashpal Arya also supported the demand raised by Mamata Rakesh and questioned, why despite assurances since 2016, there has been no progress in this regard.
Responding to the issue raised by Mamata Rakesh, Health Minister Dhan Singh Rawat explained that, under the existing norms of the Centre, the government can only set up one medical college in a district and reminded that there is already one in Haridwar, which has started treating patients and teaching MBBS students. He also added that, under the rules, there can only be a medical college for a population of 10 lakhs, whereas the population of Bhagwanpur is around 2 lakhs. He however proposed setting up of a sub-district hospital in Bhagwanpur, which can fulfil a long-pending demand for improved healthcare facilities in the region. MLA Mamata Rakesh welcomed the proposal and suggested that the hospital be named after Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar as a tribute to his contributions to society and a unit of the hospital be also named after her late husband and former minister Surendra Rakesh.
Speaker Ritu Khanduri Bhushan also urged the health minister to resolve the long pending issue of a medical college in Kotdwar, to which Dhan Singh Rawat reminded that existing norms do not permit establishment of medical college in Kotdwar but upgradation of the local health care centre into sub district hospital is possible.
Earlier, the members also raised the issue of meagre or no compensation paid to the victims of floods in Khatima and Champawat and to the affected farmers who suffered loss of crops. Some members also raised the issue of forest department blocking development projects in certain areas.
