By PTI
PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday termed the NITI Aayog recent study which ranked the state the lowest in respect of health infrastructure as “far from the truth and reality” and said there has been remarkable progress in health care facilities in the state in recent years.
Reacting sharply to the NITI Aayog report ‘Indian Public Health Standards -2012’ which incorporated findings in 15 states, including Jharkhand and ranked Bihar at the bottom of the list, Kumar said, “This report is far from the reality.
The Niti Aayog findings are not correct.
The chief minister said the state government has worked a lot in the health sector and is spending a huge amount in improving the existing medical facilities in Bihar.
It has brought in a sea change in almost all sectors in the state and has opened several new medical colleges/hospitals in the last four-five years.
“There are several things that have been wrongly reported (in the Niti Aayog report) about Bihar. One cannot compare Bihar with developed states or less populated states. How can you compare Bihar with Maharashtra? It must be explained on what parameters this report of the Aayog was prepared,” Kumar said after his weekly public interaction program ‘Janata Ke Darbaar Mein Mukhyamantri’.
As per the report of the Government of India public policy think tank, Bihar ranked the lowest in a study on the state of district hospitals.
While the country has an average of 24 beds per one lakh population, Puducherry topped the list with 222 beds.
Bihar was at the bottom of the list with only six beds per one lakh population, according to the study titled ‘Best Practices in the Performance of District Hospitals’ which was released on September 28.
Immediately after the release of the report, the Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav had criticised the Nitish Kumar government for the poor health services in the state.
“Congratulation to CM Nitish Kumar ji for making Bihar number one from the bottom”, Yadav had mocked.