'Farishtey' Scheme Funds Cleared: Delhi Govt, LG Must Settle Disputes Once For All, Says SC

The "Farishtey Dilli Ke" scheme encourages people to rescue and save the lives of road accident victims as the government foots their hospital bills off.

New Delhi: Disputes between the Delhi government and the LG must be resolved once and for all, the Supreme Court said on Thursday after being informed funds for a scheme meant for road accident victims were released.

The observation of the bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan came when the Delhi government said the funds for its "Farishtey Dilli Ke" scheme facilitating free medical treatment to road accident victims in city hospitals were cleared. The scheme encourages people to rescue and save the lives of road accident victims. Under the scheme, the government foots the hospital bills of such victims.

The court was hearing the Delhi government's plea to make the scheme functional again by clearing pending bills, releasing payments to private hospitals and initiating disciplinary action against officials responsible for allegedly deliberately orchestrating its "de-operationalisation".

Senior advocate Shadan Farasat, appearing for the Delhi government, informed the bench about the release of funds after the apex court's notice in December 2023. The Delhi government, he said, did not want to press the petition.

The bench observed in the wake of the development, the matter was sorted out, and disposed of the plea. In December 2023, the apex court sought responses from the Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) office and others after the Delhi government alleged blocking of funds for the scheme.

"We don't understand this. One wing of the government is fighting with another wing of the government," the top court had said. Calling the non-payment of bills an attempt to "sabotage" the scheme, the plea accused the health department officials of inaction and mismanagement.

"Hospitals are now reluctant to accept accident victims and this scheme has practically become defunct for more than a year since payments to the majority of the hospitals have not been made," said the plea.

Despite repeated reminders and directions by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, and the minister concerned about the clearance of pending bills of private hospitals, the erring officials neither cleared it nor made timely payments to the private facilities, which provided cashless treatment to road accident victims, it said.