Patna: Former CM Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar on Friday formally assumed charge as Bihar’s health minister even as leader of opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav targeted the NDA govt over “parivarvad” and induction of leaders without electoral mandate.After taking charge at the health department office in Vikas Bhavan, Nishant said strengthening healthcare services and ensuring effective implementation of govt schemes for common people would be his top priorities.“Fulfilling public expectations and ensuring that govt schemes reach the common people properly will remain my primary focus,” Nishant said.Welcomed by health department secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh, Nishant reviewed departmental functioning and issued several directives aimed at improving healthcare delivery, transparency and accountability.Referring to the work done under Nitish’s leadership, Nishant said the progress achieved in the health sector over the past two decades would be carried forward. “The work done over the past two decades, especially in health and other sectors, is still appreciated by the people. My effort will be to ensure that this process of development and public service continues uninterrupted,” he said.The minister directed officials to strengthen trauma centres, improve ambulance services in accident-prone areas, digitise patient records, improve medicine supply chains and expand specialist healthcare services in district hospitals and Community Health Centres. He also stressed the need to ensure doctors’ presence in rural areas and improve coordination to tackle diseases caused by contaminated drinking water.Meanwhile, Tejashwi questioned the NDA’s stand on dynastic politics after Nishant Kumar and Deepak Prakash, son of former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha, were inducted into the cabinet despite not being members of either House of the state legislature.“That person broke alliance with the Grand Alliance at the Patna veterinary ground over the issue of Parivarvad. Now his own son is a minister in the govt. This is a good thing, but now they don’t hold the right to criticise others over this issue,” Tejashwi said at a press conference in Patna.Tejashwi said he became a minister only after winning elections, unlike Nishant and Deepak. “Why is there no discussion now regarding those who have become ministers without getting the public mandate?” he asked.He also claimed that several ministers in the Samrat Choudhary govt had dynastic backgrounds and accused the NDA of hypocrisy over the issue of “parivarvad”.
