Delhi Congress writes to CVC, say AAP's mohalla clinics flouted norms

The Congress painted a murky picture on Wednesday of the Delhi government's sparkling free clinics, alleging a raft of irregularities in the primary healthcare project kicked off by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal last year to unburden ageing state-run hospitals.

In a written complaint to the Central Vigilance Commissioner, Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken said the ruling AAP set up these mohalla (neighbourhood) clinics at properties of its own workers and legislators without following due process. Mail Today has a copy of the document.

"The Delhi Government not only by-passed the tender process but also shunned the obligation to ascertain the market rate while renting the multiple premises in Delhi, as the intention was to convey illegal monetary gain to the office bearers/ members of the ruling party, through the said project," Maken said in the complaint.

As part of a pilot programme launched in July 2015, the AAP administration opened 105 mohalla clinics across Delhi and promised about 1,000, claiming innovative diagnostic technology and sharply-dressed doctors. When Mail Today contacted the Delhi government for its reaction on the charges, it refused to comment.

WHAT THE CONGRESS' COMPLAINT SAYS

In the complaint, Maken cited examples to explain how the clinics in areas such as Vikas Vihar, Paschim Vihar, Todapur and Indra Park were being run in properties owned by AAP workers. "The Congress party through its Jan Sarvekshak (public surveyors) volunteer team has done a survey of all 105 mohalla clinics in Delhi. Most Jan Sarvekshak teams surveyed the mohalla clinics between August 18-20," Maken wrote in the complaint. "These clinics have been opened on the properties of AAP members on high rents. They are being paid much more than the market trend."

The Congress will release a report on Thursday of its findings, with details of many other "glaring anomalies" in the mohalla clinic project and its faulty implementation.

"Our findings have confirmed that not only many clinics are operated in unsuitable premises owned by AAP members/ office bearers, but in absence of any transparent process of acquiring premises for mohalla clinics on lease/ rent, large number of such accommodations have been leased at 'inflated rents' as compared to the actual market value," Maken says in the complaint.

"This, inter-alia, establishes that primarily the Government machinery and funds have been misused to benefit private individuals associated with AAP."

The opposition BJP, which is locked in a bitter battle with the Aam Aadmi Party, had also made similar allegations soon after the healthcare project was launched.

DELHI EXTENDS PILOT PROJECT

Meanwhile, the Delhi government has extended the pilot programme for a year. The administration also issued orders to keep all mohalla clinics, polyclinics and dispensaries open on all days, including Sundays and gazetted holidays, till October 30, in view of the mounting cases of dengue and chikungunya.

Delhi government data released in August showed that nearly eight lakh patients were treated in five months at the mohalla clinics that provide consultation, 110 free essential drugs, immunisation for children, 212 basic tests and counselling.

Results of most of the tests are known within two minutes and are uploaded onto an IT cloud for access by patients and their doctors on their smart phones and the health centres' Swasthya tablets.

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