Bhubaneswar : The state leadership of the Congress party Saturday fired salvos against the incumbent Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government for its alleged failure to recruit specialist doctors in the state amid their cheerleading of development agenda before the media.
Addressing a press conference in the state capital Congress leader Panchanan Kanungo and party spokesperson Satyaprakash Nayak claimed that at a time when the state government had been boasting about their achievements in their advertisements, there are massive shortages of specialist doctors in government sector which is paralyzing the whole healthcare system in the state.
The party also took on the BJD government led by Chief Minister for its alleged failure to fulfill the promises it made in their 2014 election manifesto. Party spokesperson Satyaprakash Nayak said, “The claims of the BJD government on the magnitude of pucca ghar in their advertisements have come under CAG radar. Their claims are highly doubtful. They have blatantly failed to keep their manifesto promises.”
Nayak also added, “There are 34,941 anganwadi centres which do not have buildings of their own. There are issues of rural areas yet to be connected through pucca roads. The government claims of healthcare for all but where is the healthcare infrastructure that you will make available for all.”
Nayak claimed that there is 66 per cent vacancy of medicine specialists, 68 per cent vacancies of pediatricians and massive 80 per cent non-availability of operation theatres, surgeons and anesthesiologists in the state.
Congress leader Panchanan Kanungo meanwhile targeted the state for failing to address to the needs of industries in the state. “The state is giving lands to many industries but on how many of these lands, the industries are really set up,” he asked.
He also questioned the blatant failure of the Odisha government in addressing the woes of the cold storage units in the state and complained that a number of them are struggling at the hands of the government due to their neglect.
The leader also took on the BJP and BJD leaders who made fun of Congress party president Rahul Gandhi for his statements made in Bargarh. He said, “Let the BJD come out with prove to prove Rahul wrong on his statements of cold storage and other issues.”
BJP tirade against BJD
The local BJP also took on the state government for allegedly failing to take care of the health sector. BJP leader Pratap Sarangi also took on the state government for its failure to cater to the needs of the health sector in the state.
Addressing the media he said, “At a number of health care institutions the health care staff is below the sanctioned strength. A number of them come for few hours to hospital and give importance to private practice. The BJD government has failed badly in this area.”