Chaos Erupts in Bihar Assembly as Health Minister Struggles with Key Questions
Patna witnessed a tumultuous question hour in the state legislative assembly on Friday, marked by repeated interventions from senior ministers. The session descended into disorder as the minister in charge of the health department, Pramod Kumar Chandravanshi, failed to provide clear and satisfactory answers on critical health-related issues. This prompted the Speaker and members from across the political spectrum to step in repeatedly to restore decorum and ensure proper parliamentary functioning.
Gaps Exposed in Government's Health Responses
During the pre-lunch session, Chandravanshi, who was deputising for the regular health minister Mangal Pandey, faced a series of short-notice questions from two MLAs. These queries starkly exposed significant gaps and inadequacies in the government's prepared responses, highlighting systemic issues in Bihar's healthcare administration.
One particularly pointed question was raised by MLA I P Gupta, who focused on Bihar's alarmingly high infant mortality rate (IMR) and the state's critically low per capita health expenditure. Gupta emphasized that the spending was less than Rs 1,000 per person annually, demanding clear reasons for this limited financial allocation towards essential healthcare services.
In his initial reply, Chandravanshi cited figures indicating increased expenditure on medicines, claiming that spending had risen from Rs 215 crore in the 2019-20 fiscal year to Rs 750 crore in 2024-25. However, this response failed to satisfy both the Speaker and Gupta, as it did not directly address the core issues of infant mortality or per capita spending. The situation necessitated an intervention by parliamentary affairs minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary to clarify and attempt to placate the concerned members.
Confusion Over Cashless Healthcare and Staffing Norms
Another contentious issue emerged when MLA Raghvendra Pratap Singh sought clarity on the introduction of cashless healthcare services for lawmakers. Singh pointed out that such services are already operational in neighboring states like Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, putting pressure on the Bihar government to follow suit. As several MLAs voiced complaints about delayed reimbursements for medical expenses, deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary acknowledged the problem, stating he had already held three meetings on the issue. Following the Speaker's direction, he committed to convening a "final meeting" within a week to resolve the matter decisively.
Chandravanshi's difficulties continued when responding to a question by Nitish Mishra regarding staffing norms at community health centres. His vague reply, "It would be done in the next financial year," triggered laughter and disbelief in the House. Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary had to intervene again, clarifying that posts had already been sanctioned for 2025 and that appointments would be made promptly to address the staffing shortages.
Additional Blunders and Safety Concerns
The minister's struggles were further highlighted when he mixed up replies related to different constituencies while addressing a question on a blood bank, and stumbled over technical terms, adding to the confusion. These repeated faltering performances underscored a lack of preparedness and mastery over the portfolio's details.
Separately, the session also saw concerns raised over the safety of the assembly building itself. A portion of plaster fell from the portico ceiling, narrowly missing several MLAs. This incident prompted discussions about the structural integrity and maintenance of the legislative premises, adding another layer of urgency to the day's proceedings.
The chaotic question hour ultimately revealed deep-seated issues in Bihar's healthcare governance, from financial allocations and infant mortality to administrative efficiency and infrastructure safety, calling for immediate and effective governmental action.
