New Delhi: Trinamool Congress on Tuesday took a dig at the Centre over its spending on health services saying that it should rather follow the West Bengal model.
Speaking in Rajya Sabha, TMC leader and Indian Medical Association chairperson Santanu Sen challenged the finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, and said, "It is very unfortunate to remind you all, though India is the sixth largest economy of the world... the budgetary allocation for health in our country was hardly 1.5 per cent or even less."
Sen further asked the ruling NDA government to follow West Bengal government's health model for increasing the budgetary allocation to nearly 1400 times in eight years. He further said, "West Bengal Chief Minister Madam Mamata Banerjee has increased the budgetary allocation for health from Rs 682 crore to nearly 1400 times in the last seven years. So, can we see our state as a role model for the rest of the country?"
The party supported the Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Ordinance 2019 in the Upper House. However, Sen launched a scathing attack on the NDA government for dissolving Central Council of Homeopathy in the last year over corruption charges, which are still "unproven". A Board of Governors consisting of seven members was formed at that time. However, still one post is lying vacant out of the seven.
"It was ensured that a democratically-elected Central Council of Homeopathy will be formed within one year. Unfortunately, that election could not be held in the last year. So, I am becoming apprehensive whether in the coming year this government will be really able to hold the election or not," the IMA chairperson mentioned.
The Bill will enable the government to extend the tenure of the Board of Governors in the council for a further period of one year with effect from May 17, 2019.
Apart from Sen, Ramnath Thakur of JD (U), Manoj Kumar Jha of RJD, Tiruchi Siva of DMK, Rajmani Patel of Congress, Vikas Mahatme of BJP, K Somaprasad of CPI M, V Vijayasai Reddy of YSRCP, Ram Kumar Verma of BJP, Vandana Chavan of NCP, Harshvardhan Sing Dungarpur (BJP), Sushil Kumar of the Aam Aadmi Party, Madhusudan Mistry and Husain Dalwai from the Congress supported the Bill.