New Delhi: The allotment of only 92.11 acres against a demand of 200 acre of land to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, by the state government has deprived people of healthcare facilities, said a recent CAG report.
The Performance Audit of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) says that the ministry had conveyed a need for 200 acres.
“But the land provided by the state was only 92.11 acres. AIIMS had been demanding an additional 50 acres for establishment of a Cardiac Centre, Mental Health Centre and Neurosciences Centre but the state was able to commit only an additional 21 acres (2013) which is also yet to be provided. Consequently, the expansion of the institute in critical areas was held up,” the report said.
The CAG report also said that Rs 505.69 crore was allotted to the AIIMS Bhubaneswar during 2011-17. Out of that Rs 375.20 crore was utilised while Rs 130.49 crore remained unspent.
“The main reason for unspent funds was tardy pace of construction and failure on the part of the institute to factor in available funds while submitting requirements to the Ministry and delays in filling up of vacancies,” said the CAG report.
The report said that the effluent treatment plant (ETP) and sewage treatment plant (STP) at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar was not functional. Failure of the project authorities in these cases to synchronise construction and operationalisation of ETPs and STPs exposed the institute to the risk of contamination from bio-medical waste, posing hazards to patients as well as the public.
About 12 equipment, costing Rs 3.41 crore, has remained uninstalled at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar for a period ranging from three months to four years as on March 2017.
“Non-installation of equipment resulted in delay in operationalisation of critical healthcare facilities and deprived patients of diagnostic/therapeutic benefits,” the report added. However, in February 2018 the ministry said the issues were being sorted out with suppliers.