IAS officers conspired to stop 'Farishtey Dilli Ke' scheme: Bharadwaj, seeks suspension

New Delhi: The Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Friday wrote a letter to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seeking action against IAS officers in the Health Department for allegedly obstructing the government's 'Farishte Dilli Ke' scheme to provide free and fast treatment for those who meet with accidents on roads in the national capital.

The scheme uses fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to encourage citizens to help victims of road traffic accidents, thermal burns and acid attacks without the fear of legal hassle or police inquiry. Under this scheme, the victims get cashless treatment at any registered public or private nursing home or hospital across Delhi. Those who bring in the victims also get an appreciation amount of Rs 2,000 from the Delhi government.

The Health Minister named two IAS officers -- Dr S.B. Deepak Kumar (Secretary of Health) and Dr Nutan Mundeja (Director General) -- and alleged that these two officers have conspired to delay or stop payments to private hospitals. As a result, the hospitals are not providing treatment to patients under the 'Farishtey Dilli Ke scheme.'

Bharadwaj while addressing a press conference said that for the past year, the scheme has not worked. "Under this scheme, private hospitals are instructed to treat the patients coming after an accident. Since its launch in 2018, nearly 23,000 people have been treated under this scheme. However, for the past one and half years, the payments have not been made to the private hospitals."

The minister cited many incidents where the Farishtey scheme saved the lives of people living in Delhi after they met with an accident.

"The officers have conspired to obstruct the scheme. These two officers should be punished for stopping such schemes," he said.

He further told the press that former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, who was also incharge of the health ministry on January 24, 2023, called a special meeting to ask why Rs 24.5 crore was still due, but no timeline was provided to him.

"When I took over as Health Minister in March, Dr Nutan Mundeja said on the record to me that there are no bills pending. However, after a few days, those with pending dues reached out to me and apprised me again on the matter"

Highlighting that most accident deaths are of those travelling on two-wheelers, the minister said that they are generally breadwinners of their families.

"I have asked the Delhi CM to immediately suspend these officers and take strict action against them," he said in the press conference.

These officers have never explained why pending dues to private hospitals under this scheme are not being cleared, he further added.

"Some officers think that they can malign the Kejriwal government by stopping the payments and obstructing schemes by the Delhi government," he said.

He further cited the issue of non-payment of dues to labourers working under the Delhi Jal Board and other schemes of the Delhi government.