Ludhiana civil hospital food contractor awaits payment since November

A senior official, seeking anonymity, said the delay in release of funds was a regular feature not only for diet but also for the salaries of employees under the user charges’ category

The contractor, who has been providing food to pregnant women at the mother and child section of the civil hospital, has said he has been without payment from the health department since November. “My bills worth over ₹12 lakh have been pending since November. I am paying for the diet out of my own pocket,” said contractor Rishi Saroy.

The contractor claimed that the delay in payment was leading to losses and making it hard for him to continue the work. (HT Photo)

The contractor claimed that the delay was leading to losses and making it hard for him to continue the work. The women admitted to the hospital are given tea and biscuit before breakfast, porridge and fruits for breakfast, roti and dal for lunch and khichdi for dinner everyday.

The senior medical officer (SMO), Dr Harpreet Singh, said, “We have written to the higher-ups several times for the funds. We hope they will issue the funds soon.”

A senior official, seeking anonymity, said the delay in release of funds was a regular feature not only for diet but also for the salaries of employees under the user charges’ category.

Such employees are a stopgap measure to compensate for staff shortage and are paid with the revenue generated by the hospital itself.