Delhi Utilized Less Than 75% of COVID Funds Provided by Centre: CAG Report

Quick Summary

• The Delhi government utilized less than 75% of the ₹787.91 crore COVID-19 funds allocated by the Center,using only ₹582.84 crore.
• A CAG report highlights delays and increased costs in completing three new hospitals between 2016-17 and 2021-22 started under a previous regime.
• Delhi government hospitals face staff shortages, lack of medicines, and equipment; bed occupancy exceeded capacity with only 4.25% of promised new beds added.
• The CAG’s audit aimed to assess health infrastructure, resources, and efficiency in management in Delhi.
• The AAP accused BJP of diverting attention from its governance failures while BJP had come to power after 27 years.
• Mohalla Clinics faced challenges with staff shortages; clinics were ofen closed or had very short consultation times.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The CAG report on Delhi’s utilization of COVID funds and public health infrastructure raises crucial concerns about resource management effectiveness during the pandemic period. Underutilization of allocated central funds suggests inefficiencies that could jeopardize healthcare delivery during crises. Prolonged hospital project completion times point towards systemic hurdles in executing health projects swiftly.

Staff shortages coupled with inadequate facilities indicate pressing needs for strategic investment in healthcare human resources and infrastructure for enduring improvements. Moreover, issues like high bed occupancy rates highlight ongoing struggles to meet patient demand effectively.Political exchanges following this report underscore a need for focused accountability rather than partisan deflections to ensure governance meets public expectations without undermining service delivery quality.

Read More

!Representative image | Photo Credit: AP