The CAG audit report on the health infrastructure presented in the Delhi Assembly on Friday (28th February) exposed the mismanagement of the previous Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report claimed that the AAP government ‘grossly mismanaged’ the pandemic in the national capital.
As per the audit report, the Delhi government led by Arvind Kejriwal did not make full use of the COVID fund allotted by the central government. Out of a total of ₹787.91 crore, only ₹584.84 crore was used. The CAG report states that “There was under-utilization of budget (₹ 245.11 crore out of ₹ 787.91 crore) provided under India Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health preparedness package.”
#WATCH | CAG report on Delhi's health infrastructure, one of the 14 was tabled in Delhi Assembly today
— ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2025
According to the CAG report, the AAP-led government in Delhi 'grossly' mismanaged the COVID pandemic in the national capital using only Rs 582.84 crore of the total Rs 787.91… pic.twitter.com/4h3BaDtqSw
Also, ₹30.52 crore meant for healthcare workers and ₹83.14 crore allotted for essential drugs and PPE kits remained unused. The audit report also exposed the reality of Delhi’s Mohalla clinics which were once hailed as a revolutionary step towards accessible healthcare.
The report stated that the Delhi health department delayed releasing funds for Covid-19 vaccinations provided by the central govt, only a small portion of the same was used. While the union health ministry granted ₹9.60 crore to the Delhi State Health Society, as much as ₹7.93 crore remain unspent.
Speaking in the Assembly on the CAG report, BJP MLA Ajay Mahawar cornered the previous AAP government over the handling of the COVID situation. He alleged that even after the COVID pandemic, several people lost their lives in the hospitals in Delhi due to malfunctioning machinery. “You must remember that several children including newborn children and children up to five years of age lost their lives after being administered the wrong medicines in a Mohalla clinic. We have raised a demand for the investigation of the deaths of the children,” said Mahawar. Accusing the AAP government of mismanagement and corruption, Mahawar declared it a total failure on the healthcare front in the national capital.
BJP MLA from Rajouri Garden assembly constituency, Majinder Singh Sirsa alleged that Arvind Kejriwal misused the funds allotted for hospitals and health services. “…How he (Kejriwal) looted Delhi in the name of hospitals and health services…How there was no power supply in Mohalla clinics…The pages of the CAG report will say that Arvind Kejriwal is ‘Kattar Beimaan'”, said Sirsa.
Notably, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Arvind Kejriwal blamed the mismanagement of the whole situation on the central government. He accused the Centre of not providing enough assistance to Delhi to fight the pandemic.
