Governors rule has been imposed once again in J&K from 9 January 2015. Among other things the J&K Governor has focused on, after taking over, is the need for streamlining the administration and taking corrective measures for eradicating corruption form government services.
During earlier Governor rule periods also in J&K some political/ legislative/ administrative corrective steps were taken. This time also it has been reported that J&K Governor has sought the names of the corrupt officers and those with doubtful integrity from the Chief secretary.
During the times of Mr Jagmohan as Governor steps taken for improving quality of administration and weeding out the officials of doubtful integrity had earned appreciations from the common man.
Mr Jagmohan had ordered premature retirement for some officers and had also disallowed the private practice to government doctors. But it will be too early to say that how far Governor N. N. Vohra would succeed since corrective measures that Jagmohan had taken could not either be taken ahead by the political dispensation due to vote bank politics / favouritism or did not stand to judicial tests due to some technical flaws.
It was on 7th March 1986 that during the times of Governor rule in J&K private practice by government doctors was banned. A writ petition was filed under number 668/1986 in the Honble High Court on 31st May 1986 but with active and appropriate response from the government the petition was dismissed on 17 Oct 1986. After the elected government returned it issued SRO No. 42 on 23-1-1987 allowing government doctors (inspite of being regular government servants) to continue private practice. On 20th July 1995 there was a powerful RDX blast in Purani Mandi Jammu which left 21 persons dead on the spot and 47 injured. The then State Administrative Council (under the Governor’s Rule/President’s Rule) decided on 21st July 1995 to again ban private practice by government doctors in the light of allegations against some government doctors having committed dereliction of duty on the day of the blast. SRO-196 was issued on 4th August 1995 banning the private practice. The popular government returned in 1996 and on 14 January 1997 the then Health Minister Dr Mustafa Kamal said ” I have reports that a patient in Srinagar Medical College was given three years waiting period for operation” adding ” all this is being done to exert pressure on the government”. Adding that there was no proposal to lift the ban on private practice by government doctors. But just after three months in the Cabinet meeting held on 14 April 1998 it was decided by same government to again lift the ban on private practice by government doctors.
While venturing for eradication the corrupt Governor should also consider the orders disallowing private practice as issued by earlier governments keeping in view that government doctors were allowed private practice in social interest only to the extent of consultations during off hours. But this day that social element has been made to vanish in majority of cases and hence this provision is doing more of damage than the good that was anticipated while allowing government doctors to see patients during off overs against payment inspite of their being public servants.
Some experts and opinion makers do see the failure of schemes like Jan Aushadi Store, poor services in Government hospitals , equipment / machinery remaining out of service for months in government hospitals, flourishing private clinics/ laboratories and inflated prescriptions of the patients for reasons of private practice by government doctors. Some doctors are in a way conducting a full business enterprise under the cover of permission for private practice. Doctors in AIMS and PGI are not allowed private trade like any other government servant. Any how in case some people contest that it is to supplement income , then why not allow other government servants too for private consultations after office hours so as to allow them some additional earning? –Daya Sagar
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
