DDA's refusal to give land for mohalla clinics irks Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has lashed out at Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for not providing land to the Delhi government for setting up mohalla clinics.

Kejriwal also said that, in some cases, even the government's own land was not being allotted for the clinics.

"It pains me that the Delhi government not being given land for setting mohalla clinics. Even Delhi government's own land is not being allowed for mohalla clinics," the Chief Minister said.

Meanwhile, taking cognisance of a recent news report the Aam Aadmi Party also slammed DDA over allegations of corruption.

The said report alleged that DDA changed its rules to allot land to an NGO run by Union Minister Vijay Goel for making toy banks.

Goel, however, rubbished the report, saying: "The whole story was incorrect, concocted and sensationalised without the real facts."

AAP questioned the Delhi BJP unit's silence over the issue.

"The silence of teh BJP leadership, both, at national and Delhi state level, makes it clear that the party has no explanation on how Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel made a mockery of rules to get a DDA plot allotted for his NGO, with complete connivance of then Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung," a statement by AAP noted.

Echoing Kejriwal statement, his party asserted that the illegality of the matter lies in the fact that DDA never allocates such land when demanded by the elected Delhi government for public interest.

The party also said that several letters have been sent by the Delhi government for procurement of empty land to build mohalla clinics and hospitals, but none have yet been forwarded.

AAP claimed that the Delhi government has sent a detailed list of 18 such properties that are being unlawfully used by societies where the terms of their conditions have long expired.

The government has requested DDA to allot these plots, where the terms of usage have expired, to build the hospitals/mohalla clinics.

DDA has not responded to the Delhi government's appeals or made available any of these properties.