BELAGAVI: The Karnataka government will fill all major vacant posts across the state’s healthcare network within the next one month, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao told the Assembly on Thursday.
Responding to a query by Kushtagi MLA Doddangouda Patil, Dinesh said the state has initiated an accelerated recruitment drive to address shortages in Community Health Centres (CHCs), Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and taluk hospitals.
Approval has already been granted to appoint 337 specialist doctors and 250 general duty doctors on a contract basis. Under the one-year compulsory government service scheme for medical graduates from the government quota, 1,500 doctors are also being recruited, he said.
The Finance Department has cleared recruitment for another 120 specialist doctors and 100 general duty medical officers through direct appointment. “The process is underway, and a related High Court case on specialist recruitment is in its final stage,” Dinesh said.
The department is filling 600 staff nurse posts, 400 junior laboratory technician posts, and 400 pharmacist posts on a contract basis, he said. Dinesh said the expert committee led by retired Union Health Ministry official Dr Himanshu Bhushan has been tasked with scientifically identifying locations where new PHCs and CHCs must be established based on IPHS norms and National Health Policy guidelines.
2.84L posts vacant in depts: CM
Informing that over 2.84 lakh posts are vacant in different departments in Karnataka, CM Siddaramaiah has said that his government has started the process of recruiting 56,000 people in different departments in a phased manner. The CM admitted in the Council that all the posts cannot be filled in one go, as the approval of the finance department is essential.
Now, the department has given its nod to make appointments to 56,000 posts, he said. “The recruitment process was delayed by at least one year due to the internal reservation issue. Now, the government has already cleared hurdles related to internal reservation, and the appointment procedure will be expedited,” the CM said.
The CM said that under the sports quota, the government has given jobs to 13 sportspersons who have participated and won medals in national and international tournaments. Similarly, 70 constables and 14 PSIs have also been appointed under the sports quota.