Mangaluru: The Chief Minister and Health Minister of Karnataka appear lackluster on cooperation with the centre to establish generic drug centers, financially aided by the union government in government hospitals.
“Despite three successive letters being sent out by me seeking a response on the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the central govt, both CM Siddaramaiah and Health Minister U T Kader have not replied yet,” informed union minister for Chemical and Fertilizers Ananth Kumar. He briefed the press on Friday at the BJP office. The duty of both central and state government was to ensure better health of the poor.
He accused the government of not administering in a right way. The minister said he had assured as much as Rs. 2.50 lakh aid for each drug house, to the state by the union government. Here, drugs would be sold at 30% reduction over the market price. The government did not heed his requests due to which, according to Kumar, the health minister was not concerned about the health. He urged U T Khader to respond to the central government’s proposal.
When the press pointed out that, recently a foundation stone was laid to erect a generic drug unit at Wenlock hospital under the Jana Sanjeevini Scheme, Kumar rediculed the claim, saying that there was no need to construct a new building. According to the MOU the hospitals should lend one room to house a drug unit. He asked, “Why the State government has to waste the public money?”
Talking on setting up a new Urea Manufacturing Unit in Karnataka, he said the Chief Minister was not showing interest. He recounted and claimed that the CM three months back assured to provide 500 acres of land near Bidadi-Dhabol gas pipe line apart from giving 10 % equity to materialize the project. Kumar further added that “the CM did not keep his word”. “This project was planned under Modi’s much touted ‘Make in India’ program with the aim of reducing the import of urea and make India self reliant to produce this fertilizer”, he added.
The Government has been planning to set up an institution, Central Institute of Plastic Engineering Technology, equivalent to IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) in Karnataka. He hinted that the institution would come up either in Bengaluru or Mangaluru. The institution would provide UG, PG and Doctorate degrees.
Tax share not utilized
The central government in the recent budget increased states’ share of central taxes from 32%-42%. This was done after the 14th finance commission led by former Reserve Bank of India governor Y V Reddy recommended the same. So far all 13 finance commissions were recommending minute hike of 1 to 2%.
He alleged in the financial year 2014-2015 the state government of Karnataka utilized only 51% out total shared tax revenue of Rs. 25,000 crore. “Why has the other half not been spent by the state,” he questioned. He conveyed that the state has leveraged only 15% of 51% spent to central sponsored schemes. He demanded that the state channelize its share to improve the state’s development.
