Balaghat, Oct 1 (IANS): Ahead of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Balaghat to meet families of tribal children who died in the district, Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari on Thursday demanded a public report on the deaths and questioned the Chief Minister Mohan Yadav-led state government’s spending on healthcare in tribal areas.
Addressing a press conference in Balaghat, state Congress chief Patwari alleged that despite crores of rupees being allocated for healthcare, the Madhya Pradesh government had failed to make public the reasons for the children’s deaths, vaccination records and findings of health surveys conducted in the affected areas.
“The government allocated crores of rupees and made all the arrangements. The truth is, did children die or not? Whether there were multiple factors, what does it matter? Have you made the report public till today? Has the government made public the reasons why the children died? Did you conduct a survey? Did you carry out vaccination? Did you make the vaccination report public?” he said at a press conference in Balaghat.
LoP Gandhi is scheduled to visit Balaghat and meet families of children who died in tribal-dominated areas.
He is scheduled to arrive around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday in the state. During the press conference, Patwari also questioned the utilisation of funds earmarked for healthcare in tribal areas, alleging that Rs 4,630 crore was supposed to be spent under the Health Mission.
“Where did that money go? I just told you that Rs 4,630 crore was supposed to be spent on the Health Mission in tribal areas. Where did that money go?” he asked.
Patwari demanded a comprehensive review of the state’s health, education and economic sectors and sought a White Paper on the condition of Madhya Pradesh.
“Now, review the entire state from A to Z. Discuss different sectors and make fresh preparations with a long-term vision to try to resolve these problems. Bring out a White Paper. Why is there poverty? Why is Madhya Pradesh weak in healthcare? Why is the condition of education in Madhya Pradesh so poor? How has the economy been damaged? How can we save the state from corruption?” Patwari said.
He also targeted the BJP government over its claims of having eliminated Naxalism, questioning whether adequate public services had reached the remote areas once affected by Left-Wing Extremism.
“Advertisements were put up across the country, summits were held, and praise was garnered that Naxalism has been eradicated. In those Naxal-affected areas where you talk about liberation, why haven’t you arranged for doctors, hospitals, schools? Why haven’t you provided employment resources?” he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla had said that more than 3,100 doctors had been posted at Primary Health Centres in remote areas of the state, with over 2,600 having already joined duty.
Shukla, who looks after the state’s health department, had said the situation in 50 villages across two blocks (in Balaghat) was under control following effective action against Naxalism.
