Pathak flags rising cancer, heart and kidney cases

Lucknow: Responding to a question by SP's Man Singh Yadav on the shortage of facilities for illnesses such as cancer and heart ailments, health minister Brajesh Pathak said that while the govt was working towards increasing facilities, it was also true that cases of cancer, heart ailments, and, more so, kidney disease, were going up in the state. He said shortages were felt because people preferred to go to facilities like SGPGI, or wait for specific doctors, etc, and that diseases were rising due to lifestyle, lack of exercise, use of mobile phones, etc. "We were seeing a rise in kidney disease, for which we made sure that at least 10 beds were reserved for kidney patients in each district," he said.Kanya Sumangala scam: Minister's denial contradicted in HouseSP MLC Ashutosh Sinha got the minister for women and child development, Baby Rani Maurya, in a bind over a question related to corruption in the Kanya Sumangala scheme. While denying that there was any corruption, she went on to add that, on the basis of complaints in Ayodhya, a three-member inquiry team was set up and action was taken against a contractual employee. Questioning how the minister was denying corruption in the department even while accepting that action was being taken, Sinha pointed to a CAG report highlighting corruption of Rs 100 crore in the scheme. He asked the govt for details of 19 districts where charges of wrongdoing surfaced. Minister promises drive to rehabilitate homelessStepping in for the minister for women and child development, Baby Rani Maurya, who was unable to respond to questions from members of the Council on the govt's responsibility and actions towards homeless adults and children and those from deprived communities, deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak explained the steps that the govt took for the rehabilitation of such individuals. Pathak announced in the House that, on Thursday itself, he would direct the Chief Secretary to issue directions to all District Magistrates to identify homeless and deprived persons in their jurisdiction, take them to shelter homes, and ensure their amalgamation into mainstream society. Why not Haj terminal at defunct airport, says MLASP MLC Shahnawaz Khan mentioned the issue of Saharanpur Airport, which was virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 20, 2024, and which, for the past several months, was lying defunct. Reminding the govt that tickets for flights from Saharanpur, including the first flight to Gorakhpur, were sold for about 10 days after the inauguration, Khan requested that a Haj Terminal be created there, as people in and around the area travelled to Delhi in order to go for Haj or Umrah. Leader of the House Keshav Prasad Maurya said that the airport was made functional under the Udaan scheme of the Centre and all facilities were available there, but flight operations depended on private companies. He assured Khan that they would look into the matter.