Tirupati: Creation of joint director posts for SVIMS opposed

Tirupati: The jewel in the crown of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) has landed itself into yet another controversy, with its alleged proposal of creating fresh posts, including two posts of Joint Directors and 16 contractual jobs. The alleged proposals have now become instrumental in stoking controversies among the leaders of opposition parties, who have strongly opposed the management's move in creating the new posts.

SVIMS was the only premier health institute in Andhra Pradesh, post bifurcation. At present the institute has been handling about 13,000 surgeries and 22 lakh investigations per annum and extending medical services to 1,800 out-patients per day and 43,000 in-patients per annum. According to unconfirmed reports, about 450 permanent staff is working here in various capacities including doctors, nurses and other administrative purposes. In addition, nearly 1,500 contractual staff is also engaged by the institute.

Though the hospital receives a grant of Rs 24 cr. and Rs 60 lakh per annum from TTD and State government, respectively, the institute lacks a salary budget and are dependent on the fee collected from the patients. This has been true since its inception.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Congress leader P. Naveen Kumar Reddy alleged that the institute was filled with corrupt activities and irregularities. “Two officers, relatives of AP Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, were involved in the misuse of funds and are now facing enquiries initiated by the Vigilance Department; they were also behind the proposal of the creation of two new joint director posts, as the posts would enable them to increase their grip over the institute. They also wanted to recruit their kith and kin and hence created 16 new contractual jobs. All these proposals were being discussed in the governing council meeting being held at Amaravati on Friday,” he alleged.

“In a recent incident, the corruption of the two officers was exposed after the hospital authorities gave notice to a medical shop being run by their relatives, who has to pay the institute ten months' rent amounting to Rs 3.50 crores. Now they are pressurising the director of the institute to waive off the rent, with their political connections”, Mr Naveen added.

However, it remains to be seen now how the governing council of SVIMS, which met at Amaravati, deals with these allegations levelled by the opposition leaders.