Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday expressed sharp displeasure over the delay in completing 14,000 health sector appointments, despite the court case surrounding them being resolved. Her remarks came during a government function at Swasthya Bhavan, where she questioned Health Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam in a tone of rebuke, asking why the recruitment process was still pending.
“The court case has been settled, but why are 14,000 appointments still on hold?” the Chief Minister asked. Turning to Nigam, she said, “We have made about 14,000 appointments. For some time, it was stuck due to a court case, but why is there a delay now? Tell the Health Recruitment Board that the work must be speeded up. And if it does not bring it, you will have to bring it.”
Mamata’s remarks were part of a larger review of the state’s ongoing health projects. During the same event, she also expressed anger over alleged irregularities under the Swasthya Sathi scheme. Referring to a case in Barasat, she said that a private hospital reportedly told a patient that only ₹2 lakh could be availed under the scheme, when the actual coverage is ₹5 lakh.
“We pay up to ₹5 lakh. They are taking money but not providing services. I will not tolerate this. As soon as I came to know, I asked them to file a complaint,” she said firmly.
The Chief Minister also drew comparisons between the current state of Bengal’s health infrastructure and the situation during the Left regime.
“Earlier, people could not get admitted to hospitals, they would die without getting treatment. Now there has been a revolution in the health sector,” she said. Citing progress achieved over the past 14 years, Mamata claimed that the child and maternal mortality had also significantly decreased. She added that the health budget had increased six-fold—from ₹3,584 crore in 2010–11 to ₹21,355 crore in 2025–26.
Mamata detailed several milestones achieved in the health sector under her government. “Fourteen new government medical colleges and 42 super-specialty hospitals have been established across the state. More than 13,500 health centers, 76 critical care units (CCUs), and 49 trauma care centers have been set up. The number of nursing training institutes has grown from 57 to 451, while the number of seats has expanded from 2,265 to 28,547. The total number of government hospital beds has now reached nearly 97,000,” she claimed.
Emphasising the importance of safety in hospital premises, Mamata instructed officials to ensure proper arrangements for the safe movement of doctors and nurses between buildings. “Miscreants can be seen sitting in dark place,” she warned.
She also announced several welfare and infrastructure initiatives, including the construction of seven hostels for lady doctors at a cost of ₹150 crore and the implementation of the ‘Rattire Sathi’ project, which has cost over ₹130 crore. Additionally, each of the state’s Anganwadi and ASHA workers will receive a ₹10,000 grant to purchase mobile phones, for which ₹200 crore has been allocated.
Highlighting the state’s progress, Mamata concluded with a strong message that reflected her government’s priorities. “Health is not just about constructing buildings, it is about service. And there will be no negligence in that service,” she asserted.
Also read: Mamata lands in Siliguri for welfare push, post-flood review
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