BELAGAVI: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is in a dilemma as Health Minister K R Ramesh Kumar is not ready to make any changes in the proposed amendments to the Karnataka Private Medical Establishment (KPME) Act, as demanded by agitating private medical practitioners. The minister is learnt to have expressed his wish to quit rather than remove some points of contention in the draft bill.
Agitating doctors met the chief minister on Monday to express their reservations over provisions such as jail term for errant doctors, constitution of district committees and formation of the government committee for fixing treatment charges. The former is also said to have positively responded to their demand for modifying these provisions. But when Siddaramaiah discussed it with the minister, he categorically refused to make any changes in the bill, government sources said.
Siddaramaiah met a few senior minister here at Circuit House and discussed the minister’s stand. The chief minister has thought of convening the legislature party meeting on Wednesday to take a final decision on tabling the bill. It is also said that some MLAs, across parties, are not happy with some points in the amendment bill. The idea behind holding the CLP meeting is to gather the opinion of MLAs and putting them before the health minister.
During zero hour, the minister reaffirmed his commitment to passing the bill. Replying to the issue raised by BJP member Mahatesh Kavatagimath, the minister said changes are for the benefit of the poor.