NEW DELHI: The file for which 45 AAP MLAs sat on dharna for more than seven hours inside the Raj Niwas on Wednesday contained Delhi vigilance department’s investigation, which has found serious lapses on part of the state government while providing facilities for public in the Mohalla Clinics.
According to the vigilance report, the government has not formulated any norms for fixing rents of properties hired for setting up the Mohalla Clinics; similar was the case with doctors’ payments. Also, there was no procedure in place to maintain a record of patients that can be verified in case of an audit, the report said. However, it does not mention direct involvement of doctors or government officers in taking undue benefits.
Delhi government spokesperson Nagendra Sharma said, “Four days ago, we publicised a letter by health minister, which said the objections raised by the vigilance, based on frivolous complaints filed by political rivals with a malicious intent, are vague. The report doesn’t speak about any specific allegation.”
On the other hand, sources in the Lieutenant Governor’s office said that L-G Anil Baijal has not set any deadline for clearance of pending files related to Mohalla Clinics, after vigilance report hinted some ‘procedural lapses’.
“There were allegations that the AAP government has taken properties of some party leaders for rent; there is no cap on payments to the doctors and rent. Though the L-G has said that he will get back by Tuesday, he has set no deadline,” sources said.
Sources have claimed that the file, which had the findings, was sent to health minister Satyendra Jain on August 29 evening. The AAP government woke up then and Jain wrote a letter to Baijal on August 30, they said.
Allegations probed by Vigilance
No transparency in selecting premises for Mohalla Clinics
Rent of premises higher than market rate
Party workers’ premises rented
Four hours not adequate to run the clinic
No proper accounting of patients examined, which decides payment to doctors
Investigations Findings
Laid down procedure, transparent and competitive process not followed while hiring some of the facilities, services and manpower
Non-adherence of norms in fixing the rent for hired Mohalla Clinic premises
Relevant details of patients not noted in records Payment to doctors without requisite audit of patient footfall
The data of patients needs to be strictly under the control of Health & Family Welfare Department to ensure its reliability and integrity.
Caught In Red Tape
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal this year had announced that 1,000 Mohalla Clinics will come up in the national capital in a year. A file was sent for approval to the L-G in May in this regard. But the files are currently stuck in the L-G office, after the Congress raised various allegations regarding it in a complaint filed with the L-G. Baijal ordered a vigilance probe. The probe report and the government’s reply are awaited.