PATNA, Jan. 5 -- Bihar's health secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh on Saturday cautioned government doctors, hospital administrators and clerks that negligence and complacency will not be tolerated anymore.

Chairing an online review meeting with civil surgeons from across the state, Singh issued a blunt ultimatum, saying doctors and staff unwilling to perform their duties should resign, as the era of merely passing time in government service was over.

Emphasising that government service cannot be treated as a formality, he said negligence would not be tolerated under any circumstances and non-performing personnel must either be proceeded against or asked to step aside so that young doctors could be recruited.

The secretary expressed serious ...