In a 1st, health min to get vehicle from Rims as gift

Ranchi: The 49th governing body meeting of the state’s largest and autonomous hospital, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims), scheduled for Wednesday has stoked enough controversy after the Rims authorities allegedly “ignored” the rules and regulations.
Now, the hospital authorities have decided to gift a vehicle to health minister Banna Gupta, for which a proposal was included among the 37 agendas for the upcoming meeting. It is for the first time in Rims’ history that a sitting state health minister is being provided with a vehicle from the funds allocated to it.
Talking to TOI, Rims acting director Manju Gari said, “We have a proposal to buy three vehicles, which includes a van for the blood bank, a mini bus for the students and a vehicle for the health minister. It will be a gift from Rims to the health minister.”
Rims became autonomous in 2002 after upgrading from the erstwhile Rajendra Medical College and Hospital. In 2005-06, a reforms committee was constituted under the leadership of former JMM MLA from Ichagarh, Sudhir Mahato, to monitor the developmental work, fund use and to provide suggestions on the working of the state’s premier hospital. The committee is now dissolved and the governing body was set up.
Former MLA from Chhatarpur and a former member of the reforms committee, Radha Krishna Kishore, said: “The only reason for the bottlenecks in developing Rims on a par with AIIMS is that the money allocated to the state-run hospital has never been used in the required areas. The Rims administration should focus on strengthening its manpower, nursing staff and patient-care facilities but they choose to provide a vehicle to a public representative.”
Gupta already has five vehicles at his disposal to discharge his official duties. The fleet includes three from state government and two from the National Health Mission, Jharkhand. Gupta has also been provided with police escorts.
According to his election affidavit, Gupta owns a Maruti Wagon-R in his name and a scooter in his wife’s name.