ED raids in Chhattisgarh ‘birthday gift’ to Bhupesh Baghel: Rajasthan CM Gehlot

Jaipur, Aug 23 (PTI) Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids in Chhattisgarh were a “birthday gift” to his counterpart Bhupesh Baghel.

Gehlot said the ED raids will follow wherever there are elections, referring to the assembly polls due later this year in Chhattisgarh.

“Elections are coming there (in Chhattisgarh). Wherever there are elections, the ED raids will be there. Today is the birthday of Bhupesh Baghel. So, the ED has given him a birthday gift,” he told reporters here.

The ED earlier in the day conducted searches at the premises of Baghel’s political advisor Vinod Verma and an Officer on Special Duty (OSD), sources said. The searches were also held at the premises of a businessman in Durg, they added.

The exact case in connection with which the searches were being conducted was not yet known.

The ED has been investigating different cases in Chhattisgarh pertaining to an alleged coal scam, liquor scam, irregularities in the District Mineral Foundation fund and an online betting application.

Gehlot was talking to the media on the sidelines of inaugurating and foundation laying of various works related to medical colleges and flagging-off of cancer vans for early detection of the disease.

He laid the foundation of 32 works in medical colleges and three nursing colleges of Rs 887 crore, besides inaugurating 36 other works of Rs 379 crore.

Cancer vans costing Rs 7.15 crore were flagged-off in seven divisions of the state.

The chief minister said the Rajasthan model of public health is being appreciated across the country today.

“Rajasthan is the only state where Right to Health Act has been enacted. Health insurance of Rs 25 lakh is being provided to all the families of the state, through which about 48,50,000 people have been provided free treatment worth Rs 5,300 crore. There is no such scheme of insurance amount in any state in the country,” he said.

Gehlot said medical and nursing colleges are being started in every district of the state.

Medical colleges were not approved in three districts — Rajsamand, Jalore and Pratapgarh — under the centrally-sponsored scheme, he said, adding the state government has, therefore, given an approval to set up medical colleges in all the three districts at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore.

Gehlot said these medical colleges will start from the upcoming session.

Marwar Medical University is being established in Jodhpur so that better medical research can be done in western Rajasthan, he said.

The chief minister said cancer vans will also be sent to three newly-formed divisions — Banswara, Sikar and Pali.

“Unfortunately, 60 to 70 per cent patient reach hospitals when (they) get into third or fourth stage of cancer. That’s why cancer vans have been sent in divisions for early screening and detection so that people can get cured at right time,” he added.