Are Somnath, Pranab soldiers?
Eklavya Atray
Thursday, March 19, 2009
New Delhi: They swear by the Indian soldier in public. But in private, Union ministers, senior bureaucrats and many others do not hesitate to exploit health facilities meant exclusively for the Indian soldier.
With the Right to Information Act, DNA carried out a detailed inspection of records at the army's Research and Referral (R&R) Hospital in the capital. It found that hundreds of civilians were treating themselves at the prestigious hospital using their powerful connections.
Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee, external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, former president R Venkatraman and several IAS officers, including secretaries, former defence secretaries and serving defence ministry bureaucrats were among hundreds of civilians treating themselves at the prestigious hospital.
There were also many unknown faces, who obviously came with strong recommendations. In fact, R&R hospital, the largest military hospital in India, has treated over 750 non-entitled patients in the last five years.
DNA found that these men and women were treated for diseases ranging from common dysentery to complicated surgeries, viral fever to life-threatening complications. In return the patients paid peanuts, the subsidised rate military personnel are entitled to.
The authorities covered up the staggering exploitation of military resource by saying that the hospital commandant was empowered to make exemptions for outsiders. But this comes at a time when the defence ministry is paying crores annually to private hospitals for treating retired military personnel and their kin under the ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme, due to shortage of facilities in military hospitals.
Are Somnath, Pranab soldiers
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Comment: The ECHS evolved to treat ESM and dependants is in a sordid state of decay sans funds. Military Hospitals refuse to treat ESM. Crores of Rupees spent in treating unauthorised civilians at Military Hospitals does not affect either the conscience of Military authorities or the Government as governance is by a bunch of corrupt bureaucrats. We thank DNA for exposing such a fraud perpetuated on the ESM fraternity.
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