Jalandhar News/ Restore PIMS as a government hospital, on the pattern of PGI- Khaira

Jalandhar, December 24, 2013: Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Official Spokesperson, PPCC and ex-MLA has said the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences was conceived and built with the sole aim of providing cheap and quality healthcare to the needy people of Punjab, particularly the Doaba region. The total cost of PIMS including prime land, building and equipment was nothing less than Rs. 5,000 crore, whereas it was allotted to the Rakhra society for a meager sum of Rs. 131 crores on a 99 years lease.
In a statement here today, he added the Commissioner Income Tax, while ordering the cancellation of registration granted to PIMS on October 24, 2013 has very clearly cited that the society has utterly failed to provide charitable or cheap health services, required to avail income tax exemptions. On the last page of the order, the Commissioner I.T. terms the activities of the assessee society as “not genuine”.
He added the Commissioner I.T has also severely indicted the government for diverting hundreds of crores of funds accrued from the sale of 66 acres of prime commercial land by PUDA, meant for setting up PIMS to other medical institutions of the state. It is also surprising to note that the PIMS has over a period of years created FDR’s worth crores of rupees instead of any capital expenditure.
The present pitiable condition of PIMS indicates that due to the negligence of the government, PIMS has lost 150 seats of the Medical College, endangering the future of students. There are no patients being treated in the hospital as on date, the OPD has shut down, the so called charitable society has not been able to pay the salaries of striking doctors, para medical staff, clerks and class IV employees.
It is now abundantly clear that such a prestigious hospital cum medical college like PIMS has to pay dearly, due to the visionless and politically motivated decisions of Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal, who is squarely responsible for the failure and collapse of PIMS. This is despite the fact that at the time of completion of the hospital, there was no dearth of funds available with the government from the 66 acre prestigious land sold by PUDA.
“Congress demands that keeping in view humanitarian consideration, the SAD-BJP government pay all outstanding arrears of its doctors and employees of PIMS”, he said, adding Congress also urges the CM not to further indulge in “foolish” experimentation of handing over this institution to any corporate house. Khaira said it is demanded that the government cancel the 99 years lease of the Rakhra society, take criminal penal action against its members and restore PIMS as a government hospital, on the pattern of PGI for cheap and quality healthcare for the needy people of Punjab.//jalandhar news,  jalandhar current news,  jalandhar news live, jalandhar breaking news, jalandhar headlines, jalandhar latest news, india news, punjab news, punjab news live, punjab news online, punjab news, punjab news headlines, punjab breaking news, india news, punjab news,