Punjab govt accused of recruitment scam for implementation of 'Sarv Health Insurance' scheme

The state health agency of Punjab Health Department is inundated these days due to frequent scams. Now, another scam that has come to light is the recruitment scam for implementation of 'Sarv Health Insurance Scheme" in the State Health Agency. It was alleged that the Punjab Health department had advertised 13 posts for executive assistants to implement the Sarv Health Insurance scheme. Also Read | Novavax vaccine demonstrates 90% efficacy, 100% protection against moderate, severe disease According to the allegations regarding the recruitment scam by the Punjab government, the rules were not only flouted but jobs were given to those who had never applied, given exam or interviews. They even did not fulfill eligibility credentials and qualifications and directly were appointed as executives assistants. Now, the matter of recruitment scam for implementation of 'Sarv Health Insurance scheme has reached the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the High Court has asked the Punjab government and all those who were involved in it to respond. Also Read | Coronavirus: India reports 70,421 new cases in 24 hours; lowest after 74 days The state health agency of the Punjab government in February 2019 had created 13 posts for executive assistants out of which 6 were in general category. Exam, for the same, was conducted in April 2019 while interviews were held on May 30. When the results came in June 2019, 4 out of 6 people were recruited in the general category and one of them quit his job. Meanwhil, the petitioner, who was on the waiting list, was informed under RTI that no more recruitments would be made, but the shock came when the health department on September 15, 2020, recruited people during the COVID times who had never applied for job or gave any examination or interview. Also Read | US FDA rejects emergency use authorisation for Bharat Biotech’s vaccine Covaxin Allegedly, Shaina Chabra and Avneet Kaur never gave any interview or paper and they were recruited by flouting the rules .The allegation was that Avneet Kaur's name was nowhere in the merit list and even she did not apply, did not give papers, did not give interviews but sat straight on the chair. According to the allegations, Avneet Kaur was given a back door entry in violation of the rules, which is completely illegal. It is also alleged that Yamini Roy, Vaneet Arora and Rahul Guru were also given backdoor entry illegally. According to the allegations, about 24 people were similarly recruited for different posts whose names were never in the list of eligible candidates and they were given backdoor entry. According to petition the other posts on which the back door entry has been made are Shweta Mahenu Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Raveena State AntiFraud Officer, Sanjeev Jain Manager, Gursimran Riar Deputy Manager HR Manish Operations Manager, Harvinder Singh Deputy Manager, Sunil Kumar DEO, Medha DEO. It has also been alleged that some people were recruited who do not possess matric Punjabi qualification but were recruited. Many got the job without meeting qualification criteria of mca and technical degree.The matter has reached HC and it is demanded that these recruitments should be canceled and an inquiry should be conducted by an independent agency. -PTC News