Staff recruited for IGMC trauma centre when not functional: Jai Ram

Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur today alleged that manpower was recruited for the trauma centre at the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) and Hospital long before it became operational, resulting in a needless salary bill of Rs 2.30 crore.

The former Chief Minister alleged that hundreds of supportive and paramedical employees were recruited through contractors, flouting all rules to provide benefits to a few people.

“The expenses incurred on manpower are being borne by the Central government. The money meant for public welfare is being distributed among the favourites,”he alleged.

Thakur said that the trauma centre was inaugurated by the Chief Minister in March 2023. “The order to recruit the manpower was issued after the inauguration. The staff was recruited on outsource basis but the trauma centre was made functional one-and-a-half year later,” he added.

Meanwhile, IGMC Medical Superintendant Dr Rahul Rao rejected Thakur’s allegations and said that though the patient intake in the trauma centre started today, several services were already being provided there since March 2023. “The services already running there include a 20-bed emergency medicine ward, some supportive services like a physiotherapy centre, a CT scan machine, a digital X-ray machine and a blood collection centre in the basement of the building,” said Dr Rao.

He said, “We had to open the entire building because of some services we started in November 2023. And manpower was recruited mainly for cleaning the building and patient care.” He added that the contactors were claiming bills from November 2023 not March 2023.

Dr Rao said the hospital had the approval from the government to recruit over 200 posts for the trauma centre. “We appointed manpower to run essential services,” he said.