Supreme Court notice to Lieutenant-Governor on plea for health scheme fund release

New Delhi, December 8

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to Delhi Lieutenant-Governor’s (L-G) Office and others on Delhi Government’s petition seeking release of funds for its ‘Farishtey Dilli Ke’ scheme aimed at providing free treatment to accident victims.

Besides the L-G office, a Bench led by Justice BR Gavai also asked the Delhi Government’s Directorate General of Health Services and others to respond to the petition.

Farishtey Dilli Ke

• The ‘Farishtey Dilli Ke’ scheme encourages people to rescue road accident victims. Under the scheme, the govt foots hospital bills of those who have met with accidents in the city
• The plea has sought immediate re-operationalisation of the scheme by clearing pending bills, releasing payments to private hospitals and initiating disciplinary action against officials responsible for deliberately orchestrating the “de-operationalisation” of the scheme

“We don’t understand this… one wing of the government is fighting with another wing of the government,” the top court said after senior counsel Abhishek Singhvi submitted on behalf of the Delhi Government that 23,000 road accident victims had been given cashless treatment in private hospitals under the ‘Farishtey Dilli Ke’ scheme.

The ‘Farishtey Dilli Ke’ scheme encourages people to rescue road accident victims. Under the scheme, the government foots hospital bills of those who have met with accidents in the city.

The plea has sought immediate re-operationalisation of the scheme by clearing pending bills, releasing timely payments to private hospitals and initiating disciplinary action against officials responsible for deliberately orchestrating the “de-operationalisation” of the scheme.

The petition said deliberate sabotage of the ‘Farishtey Dilli Ke’ scheme has been caused by repeated inaction, mismanagement and lackadaisical attitude of such officials.

“Hospitals are now reluctant to accept accident victims and this scheme has practically become defunct for over a year since payments to the majority of the hospitals have not been made. This has had a catastrophic impact on the medical aid available to victims of road accidents, and lives are being lost on the streets for want of timely and effective treatment,” the government submitted.