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The Union Cabinet has turned down Health Ministry’s proposal to appoint the Health Minister as head of Bangalore-based National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), an institute of global repute for treating neurological and psychiatric disorders.
The Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh while approving the NIMHANS, Bangalore Bill 2010 to elevate it as a corporate body, accommodated the suggestion of the parliamentary panel, which had vehemently opposed the appointment of any politicos -- including the Health Minister as its head. The Cabinet took this decision on Thursday, sources said here on Saturday.
They said as per amendments in the Bill, the president of the institute shall be nominated by the Centre from among the members other than its director. The move aims to ensure quality and professionalism at the multi-disciplinary hospital in Karnataka, they added.
However, while the Cabinet accepted the suggestions on composition of the institute, it rejected the committee’s suggestion against incorporation of the institute as a corporate body. The Bill paves way for the reconstitution of NIMHANS as a corporate body with all properties currently with the Health Ministry being transferred to it.
“No change in Clause 4 (Incorporation of Institute) of the Bill is proposed in view of the legal advice obtained from the Department of Legal Affairs,” said a senior health official referring the Cabinet decision. The Central Government will nominate the president of the institute from among the members other than the director.
The original Bill had proposed that the Union Health Minister be the president of the institute, a plan opposed by the Standing Committee headed by senior Rajya Sabha MP Brajesh Pathak -- which stressed that a political person should not head the institute.
It had argued that a political head should not be made president of an institute of national importance since Ministers have many other responsibilities. “The committee recommends that the provision for the appointment of the Union Minister shall be removed and that the process of appointing the president of the institute should be made similar to those of institutes like AIIMS and PGI,” the panel had said in its report.
As per amendments, the institute shall consist of the State Chief Secretary or his nominee, not below the rank of Secretary, seven persons of whom one shall be non-medical scientist representing the Indian Science Congress Association and one each from biological, behavioural and physical sciences of repute from any university to be nominated by the Central Government. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha in the just concluded session.
The Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh while approving the NIMHANS, Bangalore Bill 2010 to elevate it as a corporate body, accommodated the suggestion of the parliamentary panel, which had vehemently opposed the appointment of any politicos -- including the Health Minister as its head. The Cabinet took this decision on Thursday, sources said here on Saturday.
They said as per amendments in the Bill, the president of the institute shall be nominated by the Centre from among the members other than its director. The move aims to ensure quality and professionalism at the multi-disciplinary hospital in Karnataka, they added.
However, while the Cabinet accepted the suggestions on composition of the institute, it rejected the committee’s suggestion against incorporation of the institute as a corporate body. The Bill paves way for the reconstitution of NIMHANS as a corporate body with all properties currently with the Health Ministry being transferred to it.
“No change in Clause 4 (Incorporation of Institute) of the Bill is proposed in view of the legal advice obtained from the Department of Legal Affairs,” said a senior health official referring the Cabinet decision. The Central Government will nominate the president of the institute from among the members other than the director.
The original Bill had proposed that the Union Health Minister be the president of the institute, a plan opposed by the Standing Committee headed by senior Rajya Sabha MP Brajesh Pathak -- which stressed that a political person should not head the institute.
It had argued that a political head should not be made president of an institute of national importance since Ministers have many other responsibilities. “The committee recommends that the provision for the appointment of the Union Minister shall be removed and that the process of appointing the president of the institute should be made similar to those of institutes like AIIMS and PGI,” the panel had said in its report.
As per amendments, the institute shall consist of the State Chief Secretary or his nominee, not below the rank of Secretary, seven persons of whom one shall be non-medical scientist representing the Indian Science Congress Association and one each from biological, behavioural and physical sciences of repute from any university to be nominated by the Central Government. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha in the just concluded session.
