Plan to pump fresh life into mohalla clinic project

HEALTH

THE AAP government had earlier announced it would, by the end of 2016, set up 1,000 Aam Aadmi mohalla clinics across the capital. But the government’s ambitious project failed to meet the deadline, and it was forced to set 2017 as the new deadline for completion of the project.

In its last budget, the AAP government had increased allocation for the health sector by 1.5 times. But its mohalla clinic project hit a snag on several fronts, and eventually turned into a political slugfest.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has attacked the Bjpruled MCDS for delay in providing government land for the clinics. Several makeshift clinics in north Delhi came under threat after the North MCD decided to remove the structures. This prompted Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain to attack the BJP and say that temporary structures did not require any permission.

AAP had also identified 300 schools, where it wanted to establish the mohalla clinics. But former L-G Najeeb Jung returned that file to the government, asking that the project be reworked. Jung had said that the Delhi School Education Act does not allow establishing anything on school premises. But Education Minister Manish Sisodia later claimed that Jung had “almost agreed” to the proposal.

However, the biggest roadblock was the transfer of senior bureaucrat Dr Tarun Seem, former director general of health services, by Jung.

Dr Seem, a 1992-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS), was in-charge of the AAP’S flagship project. Kejriwal had attacked Jung, claiming that Sisodia had requested the L-G not to transfer Dr Seem till March 31 next year, and that Jung “did not relent”. Meanwhile, the Delhi Congress alleged that there is “massive corruption” in the project, adding that the clinics were housed in properties “owned by AAP legislators and workers” to extend “monetary benefits” to them.

With Delhi due to go to MCD polls this year, completion of the mohalla clinics remains a top priority. A senior official of Delhi government said 105 Mohalla clinics are “fully functional” and the remaining target will be met before the MCD polls, likely to be held in May this year. “There has been a delay due underlying bottleneck problems caused by other departments. Acquiring the land for the clinics is one such problem. Also, important officers heading the project were transferred last year. This has caused a further delay. If there are no bottleneck problems, all the proposed clinics will be ready early next year before the MCD elections,” said a senior official of Delhi government.