HEALTH

Restructure health services: PCMSA
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 21
Rejecting the plan of privatisation, the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) has demanded the restructuring of health services by expanding and decentralising the administrative supervisory network to combat the problem of absenteeism, poor work culture and deterioration of standard of health services.

In a press note, Dr Hardeep Singh, its state president, blamed to weak administrative supervisory network for deterioration of standard of health services. “As compared to other cadres of Punjab, reorganisation of the PCMS cadre remain neglected since long time. For much expanded huge strength of 19,457 skilled health manpower, a number of administrative supervisory PCMS posts are very less. Without even single trial to restructure health organisation, the government is taking such fatal step of converting services into profit-generating industry, although permanent solution can be attained with expansion and decentralisation of administrative supervisory network. Without adding the financial burden, the weak health administrative network could be strengthened by involving more PCMS officers as these officers are already getting the financial benefits of ACPs”.

Dr Balwinder Singh, district general secretary, said unrest was prevailing among PCMS doctors due to stagnation in chance of promotions as compared to other officers of the Punjab cadre.

In a huge cadre of 4,125 PCMS doctors, there were only 43 promotional posts. “Only 1 per cent of the PCMS doctors are getting the promotional opportunity and 99 per cent of doctors will retire as entry post of Medical Officer,” he said.

The association demanded to redesignate existing functional SMO as Deputy Civil Surgeon, which has been already recommended by the Pay Commission and accepted by the Punjab Government, but yet to be notified.

This place should be placed in first promotional rank of the Deputy Director.

“The posts of District Programme Officer at district headquarter should be redesignated as Additional Civil Surgeon with the rank of the Joint Director. The posts of Civil Surgeon, Deputy Director level should be given the rank of the Additional Director. More senior medical officers should be redesignated as new post of the SMO at Civil Hospitals, Rural Hospitals, Primary Health Centers, Community Health Centers and Mini-PHC levels without any new scale”.

GCW win cross-country race
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, October 21
A team of the local Government College for Women won cross-country race in the Inter-College Meet organised by Panjab University on Saturday. The college has bagged the title for the first time.

The college team, comprising Rajni Rani, Rajwinderjit Kaur, Manjeet Kaur, Ravinder Kaur, Inderjit Kaur and Pooja, enabled its college to win the title.

Rajni and Rajwinder Kaur also clinched first and second position, respectively, in the individual category.

On the basis of their performance during the meet, four students namely Rajni Rani, Rajwinderjit Kaur, Manjeet Kaur and Ravinder Kaur have been selected to represent Panjab University in the All-India Inter-Varsity Cross-Country Championship to be held at Varanasi on November 8 and 9. The other players of the team are from Mahilpur and Chandigarh.

Mayor forms panel to remove encroachments
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 21
The drive launched by the civic administration in the city to clear both temporary and permanent encroachments received a shot in the arm with Mayor Nahar Singh Gill extending support to it by setting up a sub- committee of councillors, drawn from all major political parties, to visit all such problematic areas and submit its report for necessary follow-up action.

Giving details to Ludhiana Tribune, Mr Gill said besides Mr Jai Parkash, Mr Sat Pal Puri, Mr Kuldip Janda and Mr Rakesh Parashar, all from Congress, Mr Harbhajan Singh Dang, group leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), Mr Bhairaj Singh (Akali Dal), Mr Rajiv Katna (BJP) and Mr Satnam Singh Ahuja (Independent) have been nominated members of the sub- committee. The councillors, accompanied by respective Zonal Commissioners, Assistant Town Planners of the zones concerned and superintendent of Tehbazari wing, will not only report on temporary and permanent encroachments, but will also be associated with the clearing operations.

Mr Gill, who had returned from a 10-day trip of China, Thailand and Hong Kong only a couple of days ago, expressed his commitment to make the industrial hub of Punjab a model city and a better place to live in. He vowed that the MC would do its best to improve the level of basic civic amenities in the city.

“With the availability of adequate funds, we can go ahead with major development projects and create better infrastructure for the city population, check the menace of encroachments, both temporary and permanent, which tend to negate the work done by the civic body. While the population and the number of vehicles is increasing, the roads, service lanes and streets are becoming narrower due to all sorts of temporary and permanent structures being put up on footpaths and vacant spaces even on busy crossings.”

The Mayor further maintained that the MC did not want to deprive the poor rehri-phariwallahs and other small traders of their means of employment. “But at the same time we have a greater responsibility towards the residents of the city. We have to provide a reasonably good civic governance which includes unhindered movement of traffic, regulated parking and encroachment-free footpaths, roads and streets”.