Govt fails to recover Rs 600 crore in fines from private hosps

The Delhi government has failed to recover a fine of over Rs 600 crore from five private hospitals which had refused to treat the patients belonging to Economically Weaker Section (EWS). A year after it had slapped the fine on the private hospitals, the government has not been able to move a step forward.

According to sources, recently the Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) who is preparing the audit report has also pulled up the health department for failing in recovering the fine. The auditor has questioned the department for the delay.

“The file has not moved in last one year. The officials are sitting on it and no decision has been taken on collecting the fine,” said a senior Delhi government official. The file has now been sent to Delhi Health Secretary Madhup Vyas requesting him to move the case forward.

The AAP-led government in 2016 had slapped the fine on the five on these five hospitals- ax Super Specialty Hospital (Saket), Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, Shanti Mukand Hospital, Dharamshila Cancer Hospital and Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute. These hospitals were provided lands at concessional rates between 1960 and 1990 on the condition that they will treat the poor free of cost.

A total of …read more