Cong stages walkout in C'garh Assembly over outsourcing issue

Dissatisfied with the reply of Chhattisgarh Health Minister Ajay Chandrakar over outsourcing of nurses in the health department, Opposition Congress today staged awalkoutfrom the state Assembly.
Raising the issue through a call attention motion, Congress members, including party chief Bhupesh Baghel, raised the issue of appointment of nurses in the government hospitals and health centres in the state trough outsourcing.
Ignoring the welfare of unemployed in the state, Chhattisgarh government has recruited outsiders in the health department, Baghel alleged.
At least 750 posts of nurses were filled through outsourcing while these vacancies were to be filled from among domiciles of Chhattisgarh.

Even the government had invited application from locals but they rejected it claiming that candidates from the state don't want to serve in remote areas, he said.
Subsequently, an agency was given the contract for fulfilling the vacant posts which outsourced candidates from other states, he said.

There are over 50 colleges, including government and private, of nursing functioning in the state from where about 1500 nurses are passing out every year. Even after that the state government is recruiting outsiders on a handsome stipend, Baghel said.
In his reply, Minister Chandrakar said no appointment was made by the state government through outsourcing in the department.

However, services of doctors and nurses are being taken through selected service provider agencies in Sarguja and Bastar divisions through a transparent process, he said.
In Sarguja and Bastar, repeated attempts of the state government to recruit staff nurses yielded no results and a large number of posts were left vacant. Therefore, services are being taken through outsourcing, the minister said.
"The state government is committed to ensure employment opportunities to local people under the provisions of recruitment rules. Local people were never ignored," the minister said.
Not satisfied over his reply, Congress members staged awalkoutfrom the House raising slogans against the state government.