Srinagar, Mar 22: The Health and Medical Education Department has informed the J&K government that significant lapses in budget utilization were noted under Capex at SKIMS Soura over the past three years owing to insufficient and sluggish internal procurement mechanisms.
As per official figures, 34.16 percent of allocated funds lapsed in 2021-22, 21.72 percent in 2022-23, and 34.22 percent in 2023-24. The information was provided in the Legislative Assembly in response to a starred question raised by MLA Farooq Ahmad Shah regarding the issues at SKIMS Soura.
In reply to a question on reasons for degrading the autonomous status of SKIMS Soura, the reply said that the institute was established in 1976 and continues to be an autonomous institution and existing institutional structures and frameworks remain exactly the same.
“This is true both for SKIMS as a tertiary care hospital and SKIMS as a deemed University. It continues to grant Degrees as per SKIMS (Grant of Degrees) Act, 1983. Further, the budget allocation for SKIMS continues to be charged on the grants of the Health budget, as was previously,” the reply said.
The house was informed that as per the First Schedule of Government Business Rules of the erstwhile state of J&K, the subject of SKIMS was assigned to H&ME and post-re-organisation the same continued vide Transaction of Business Rules-2019 issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, GoI via Notification G.S.R 534(E), dated 27.08.2020. “So, there is no change vis-a-vis transaction of business rules of SKIMS.”
Concerning appointments and promotions, it was observed that vacancies both in gazetted (including faculty) and non-gazetted positions had piled up over the years.
The reply said to strengthen the institution and make recruitment & promotion processes transparent, time-bound, and merit-based, the services and expertise of two dedicated recruitment agencies, JKPSC and JKSSB, have been provided to SKIMS for recruitment of Gazetted (including faculty posts) and Non-gazetted posts respectively.
The house was informed that in order to strengthen and support SKIMS, the services of a dedicated procurement agency for all health institutions of J&K, JKMSCL, has been extended to SKIMS as well.
“This decision will facilitate the timely, efficient, and effective procurement of machinery and equipment for SKIMS and in turn, strengthen the patient care & service delivery system of SKIMS. The necessary changes have had to be made to bring in transparency and efficiency in the functioning of SKIMS Soura.”
In response to the steps taken to restore its autonomous character, the reply said the relevant status about the autonomous status of SKIMS Soura has been detailed above, however, to strengthen the same and to bring in the factor of transparency and efficiency many steps have been taken in this regard.
To ensure timely and expeditious disposal of all matters pertaining to SKIMS, a dedicated SKIMS Cell has been established besides other measures to ensure fast-track disposal of all issues.
