The CAG report has further identified gross under-utilisation of funds disbursed under the ‘Emergency Covid-19 Response Plan’. It states that out of the total Rs 787.91 crore sanctioned by the Centre for dealing with COVID-19, only Rs 582.84 crore was used by the previous Delhi government.
The CAG report on Public Health Infrastructure and Management of Health Services accuses the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) ‘Health Model’, highlighting several shortcomings in the Mohalla Clinics and AYUSH dispensaries operating in the national capital, along with sheer mismanagement during Covid-19.
The report viewed by CNN-News18 mentions that 21 Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics lacked toilets, 15 lacked a power backup, six lacked any table for check-ups and 12 lacked accessibility for physically disabled people. In AYUSH dispensaries, 17 out of the 49 inspected dispensaries lacked power backup, seven lacked toilets and 14 lacked drinking water facilities.
The CAG report has also pointed out gross under-utilisation of funds received under the ‘Emergency Covid-19 Response Plan’. It states that merely Rs 582.84 crore out of the total Rs 787.91 crore released by the Centre for combating COVID-19 were spent by the previous Delhi government.
In a serious lapse brought to light by the CAG report, up to Rs 83.14 crore of the disbursed Rs 119.85 crore for drugs and supplies such as PPE and masks went unused.
The report further states that there was minimal addition of beds in Delhi Government hospitals compared to the budget announcements during the four budget years of 2016-17 to 2020-21 increasing 32,000 beds and only a negligible 1357 beds were added. The CAG report states that bed occupancy was high between 101 per cent and 189 per cent in major hospitals, which indicated either more than one patient was accommodated on single beds or patients were forced to lie on floors.
