Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi on Wednesday said there was no question of her concealing facts regarding medical seats admission or Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) as she was only citing the judiciary in one issue and the settled policy of the Union Government in the other.
Responding to Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy’s remarks at a press conference the other day accusing her of not disclosing the full facts on these issues, Ms. Bedi said she had stuck to the truth in pointing to the clarity of the note from the Ministry of Home Affairs issued on October 6 that the Government of India policy was to provide benefits by DBT mode only.
“It was received from the MHA on clarification sought. Hence there is no question of anything personal in this. This is the truth. As regards the medical seats orders, it is the Judiciary’s decision. This too is the truth,” Ms. Bedi said.
The Lt. Governor went on to list the advantages of the DBT such as it did away with transmission loss, bills, contracts, tenders and complaints about distribution. The system also eliminated complaints of quality, pilferage and delay in delivery and provided the consumer, the choice of time and quality. So, when a system works for the people, why should it disturb people’s representatives? Ms. Bedi sought to know.
“The deciding authority for the Union Territory is MHA. The office of the Lt. Governor works as an Administrator and a link between the Centre and the Government of Puducherry to ensure that the interests of the people are safeguarded in the most honest and transparent manner,” Ms. Bedi said.
“And medical seats order is of the Judiciary. So where is the question of lies?”, she asked.
