NEW DELHI: The Delhi government on Monday wrote to the commissioners of three civic bodies to hand over the hospitals under them to the state authorities over the pending salaries to doctors and paramedical staff. The civic bodies reacted strongly, saying the Delhi government doesn’t have the right to write such a letter as the state has not released the funds allotted to the civic bodies.
The doctors and other staff of hospitals working under the jurisdiction of North Delhi Municipal Corporation have threatened to suspend work over non-payment of their salaries. The government’s letter written by the Additional Director (Local bodies) of Urban Development Department took up the wage issue at the Hindu Rao and Kasturba hospitals which come under the MCD.
“Under the extant recommendations of the 5th Delhi Finance Commission, the first and second instalments of Basic Tax Assignment (BTA) by UD Department and grant-in-aid by health and education departments have already been released by the Delhi government for the financial year 2020-21,” said the letter.
“The DMCs have their own sources of revenue generation. They have to ensure sufficient provisioning of funds to pay the salaries for the frontline health workers during the Covid pandemic,” it added.
On Saturday, the Delhi government shifted the Covid-19 patients admitted at the HRH facility to Lok Nayak and Aruna Asaf Ali hospitals as the resident doctors threatened to withdraw services in the Covid ward. “On what basis did the Delhi government write to us? They have not given funds to the municipal corporations for the past five months,” fumed North MCD Mayor Jai Prakash.
The government is aware of how much funds are needed for the hospitals. They have withheld `250 crore funds for that purpose,” charged North MCD Mayor Jai Prakash. “The state should look at the condition of its own hospitals. Everyone is aware of the status of Lok Nayak. The Home Minister had to step in to check its coronavirus preparations,” said Prakash.
The doctors at the MCD hospitals on the other hand said that it is more of a political step rather than solving the salary crisis. Dr RR Gautam, President, MCD Doctors Association stated that not just hospitals but the government will also have to overtake the public health policies of civic bodies as well.
“They are just playing with words,” said Dr RR Gautam, president, MCD Doctors Association, adding that, “Otherwise it will be mere occupying the buildings. Entire health services including maternity, TB, Vector borne diseases. And also it is not clear if the doctors will come under the state government pay scale. But all these discussions much later. Firstly, this is not going to happen at any cost.”