Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil has said that he will order a time-bound probe into the alleged irregularities in the recruitment process in government medical colleges in Hassan and Mysore two years ago.
It is alleged that posts in the these medical colleges were filled during the tenure of Ramachandre Gowda as Minister for Medical Education in the BJP government without approval from the Finance Department.
Dr. Patil told presspersons here on Tuesday that Mr. Ramachandre Gowda resigned following the controversy but the officials concerned were not booked. Though an inquiry by the then Additional Chief Secretary was ordered, it did not take off as the officials had retired by then, he added. “I was surprised by the way the issue was handled. I will apply my mind and order a time-bound probe. The guilty will be punished,” he said.
Similarly, another scam — the submission of fake certificates in the Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS) — would be handed over to the Lokayukta, to abide by the recommendation of the committee headed by Gururajan, he said.
It is alleged that four senior staff members of MIMS produced fake experience certificates to get jobs in violation of regulations.
On the Rajiv Gandhi Super-Speciality Hospital Raichur, popularly known as OPEC hospital, which was closed down a year ago, he said that the government was particular about retaining the hospital in the government sector.
“If there is a technical problem, then will we think of having a private partnership,” he said.
Efforts are on to revive the hospital. A report had been sought from the hospital director on the condition of building and medical equipment. “Based on the report, the building would be refurbished. A sum of Rs. 1.20 crore has been set aside for this,” he said.
A walk-in interview would be held to fill vacant posts, he added.
With the contract between Apollo Hospitals and the government expiring, OPEC hospital closed down on June 1, 2012.
