Jaipur, March 24 – Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot released the second chapter of his series, "Intezaar Shastra" (The Science of Waiting), on Tuesday, further intensifying his criticism of the BJP government over delays in key public welfare initiatives.
Raising concerns about the healthcare infrastructure, Gehlot questioned the delay in the construction of the 1,200-bed IPD Tower at SMS Hospital.
He stated that the project, which was envisioned in 2022 and scheduled for completion by 2024, has now exceeded its deadline by more than a year, with little visible progress.
The hospital was to be completed by 2022; however, it has been over a year since the deadline, and the hospital is still incomplete, he commented.
Gehlot further alleged that during the BJP's tenure, not even a single storey of the tower has been constructed.
"The delay in the IPD Tower means compromising patients' lives," Gehlot said, adding that the project was intended to provide relief to thousands of patients visiting the state's largest government hospital.
The former Chief Minister also highlighted the steep cost escalation of the project from Rs 400 crore to Rs 764 crore despite the lack of progress on the ground.
He questioned whether the delay was politically motivated, asking whether the public was being made to suffer because the project had been initiated under the previous Congress government.
Earlier in the day, Gehlot had also raised the issue of delays in recruitment, questioning the announcement of 10,000 jobs in the education department and the lack of progress in their implementation.
Highlighting the Congress government's previous achievements, he said the Nirogi Rajasthan Model had been widely discussed and appreciated across the country for strengthening public healthcare systems.
The former CM accused the present government of administrative inaction and failing to deliver on key commitments.
He stressed that delays in both healthcare infrastructure and employment generation, and questioned whether the development projects are suffering because they were launched during the Congress tenure.
