Health Task Force: Do People From UP Know Kerala’s Needs Better Than Keralites? Asks Opposition Leader

Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan has expressed concern over the inclusion of former Uttar Pradesh chief secretary Deepak Singhal in the health task force constituted by the Keralam government.

Speaking in the Assembly, Pinarayi asked whether certain people from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh knew Keralam’s needs better than the state itself. He also questioned what work Singhal had done in the health sector to earn him a seat at teh task force.

He said the Chief Minister had used certain descriptions for the former UP chief secretary but had failed to disclose that Singhal’s current engagement was connected to the private healthcare sector.

He asked what contributions Singhal had made to the health sector during his tenure in the civil service. According to him, Singhal’s only connection with healthcare was through commercial interests.

Selecting people with such interests for the task force would naturally raise concerns, Pinarayi said. He also questioned the objective behind the government’s decision to formulate health policy with such individuals on the committee.