Health Minister Satyakumar Yadav has made sensational allegations that Aurobindo has been involved in massive fraud in the guise of 108 services in AP since 2020. Giving reply to the call attention motion moved by MLAs Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy and Dhulipala Narendra in the Assembly on 108 services under Rule 74, the minister alleged that hundreds of crores of rupees were looted and patients could not be admitted to hospitals on time.
Satyakumar Yadav alleged that an agreement was made for 436 ambulances at a cost of Rs. 1.30 lakh per ambulance in 2016. In 2020, there was an agreement to pay Rs. 2, 27, 257 for old ambulances. He said that an agreement has been made to pay a total of Rs. 1,75,078 for new ambulance vehicles. He accused the 108 system of being damaged by charging crores for not providing proper services.
Minister Satyakumar Yadav revealed that only 11 to 20 percent of patients could be admitted to hospitals during the golden hour. During the YSRCP government, Aurobindo was responsible for the management of 108 and 104 vehicles. But, after the TDP coalition government was formed, Aurobindo stepped down from the management responsibilities while the contract was still in effect.
This has led to unrest among the 108 and 104 staff. The victims are expressing their grief that the Aurobindo organization has troubled them by not paying their salaries every month and has now left them stranded. As the government is taking steps to hand over the management responsibilities to someone else in Aurobindo’s place, the victims are demanding clarity on the salary arrears and support for them.
In addition to the 108, which plays a key role in saving those in danger, the 104 staff members who go to rural areas and provide medical services are facing financial difficulties. They have not been receiving salaries for four months and salaries are also very low.
Two people work in each of the 104 vehicles. They go to villages 26 days a month to provide medical services. But they are not getting a salary commensurate with the work. Drivers are being paid Rs. 12,900 and data entry operators Rs. 12,500. According to the slab, drivers working since 2016 should be given a salary of Rs. 22,000. But they are being paid the old salary.
According to GO No. 7, every outsourcing employee working for five years should be given a salary of Rs. 18,500. It is not being implemented.