New Delhi : Congress leader Ajay Maken on Wednesday accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal of committing a health-related scam worth Rs 382 crore. Of the 14 Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports, one report suggests a scam carried out by Kejriwal, which is related to health, he added.
"The Delhi CM made his party on the basis that he will fight corruption... At that time, he made corruption allegations against Congress based on CAG reports. Today, there are 14 CAG reports that make serious corruption allegations against Arvind Kejriwal. One such CAG report suggests a scam by Arvind Kejriwal related to health which is worth Rs 382 crore," Maken said in a press conference.
Maken made serious allegations against Kejriwal, claiming that the additional expenditure on three hospitals, which has been revealed in the CAG reports, was the reason they were stopped from being tabled.
"The CAG reports suggest that a sum of Rs 382.52 crore more than the tender was spent on three hospitals. This is the reason that Arvind Kejriwal did not let the CAG report be presented in the Vidhan Sabha. I am making a direct allegation that this is the reason that the CAG report was stopped," Maken alleged.
He highlighted the delays in the hospital construction by the AAP government in Delhi, saying that only three hospitals have been erected in a decade, which started during Congress' tenure.
"The CAG report says that three hospitals have been prepared in the last 10 years. All three of them were started in Congress time. The delay in Indira Gandhi Hospital was five years, Burari Hospital was delayed by six years and Maulana Azad Dental Hospital was delayed by three years," Maken said, adding that an additional Rs 314 crore was spent for the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Delhi followed by additional Rs 41 crore spent on Burari Hospital and additional (than the tender) Rs 26 crore on Maulana Azad Dental Hospital.
The Congress leader further revealed that Rs 2,623 crore sanctioned for the infrastructure budget lapsed, from 2016-17 to 2021-22, since the money was not spent. Of the Rs 653 crore grant provided by the centre during the COVID-19 crisis, Rs 360 crore was not spent, Maken said, adding that the AAP government merely installed 1,235 medical beds instead of the announced 32,000 beds.
"From 2016-17 to 2021-22, Rs 2,623 crore sanctioned for infrastructure budget lapsed because the money was not spent. This was also the Covid period. This is criminal negligence that Rs 2623 crore lapsed. This is the reason why the CAG report was not presented. During Covid, they got a Rs 635 crore grant from the centre. Out of which, Rs 360 crore were not spent at all... People were dying due to lack of medical facilities and 56 per cent of the grant given by the centre remained unused...
From 2016-17 to 2021-22, in four different budgets, they announced that they will install 32,000 medical beds... But only 1,235 beds were installed. Only 3.8 per cent achievement... This is also in the CAG report on which they (AAP) are sitting," Maken said.
Maken pointed out that shortages of doctors were 50 to 74 per cent while the nursing staff was short by 73 to 96 per cent in Rajiv Gandhi and Janakpuri Super Speciality hospitals.
"In Rajiv Gandhi and Janakpuri Super Speciality hospitals, doctor shortage is 50-74 per cent... The nursing staff is short by 73-96 per cent. Paramedic staff is short by 17-62 per cent... This is what the CAG report says... In the Janakpuri Super Speciality Hospital, the bed occupancy rate is 20-40% because of a shortage of staff," the Congress leader added.