Agitated All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam members created a ruckus in the Rajya Sabha during the Zero Hour when DMK member Kanimozhi — while mentioning the reduction of Infant Mortality Rate in Tamil Nadu — sought to ask the government about neo-natal mortality with reference to Dharmapuri newborn deaths in Tamil Nadu.
Asking a supplementary during the Question Hour, Ms. Kanimozhi said the Infant Mortality Rate in Tamil Nadu had reduced in the last 10 years. But when she tried to raise the matter of deaths of infants in State-run Dharmapuri hospital last year, she was interrupted by AIADMK members , all of whom got on to their feet protesting noisily. Despite several appeals by Chairman Hamid Ansari and even warnings of “being named”, the AIADMK members did not relent.
Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda mentioned the incident and added that the State government had responded quickly and conducted an inquiry. He assured the House that there will be no dearth of funds for the flagship NHM and NURM programmes. “There has been new devolution of funds to the States. A committee headed by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will evaluate the requirement of states for flagship health programmes and if necessary, funds will be made available,’’ the minister said.