DNA: Mumbai: Tuesday, June 06, 2017.
As the cost
effective 'one rupee clinic' initiative gains pace in the city, over 15 Right
To Information (RTI) applications raising questions about the concept and its
business model have been filed within a month. One rupee clinics at five
railway stations Ghatkopar, Dadar, Kurla, Mulund and Wadala started in the
month of May, have seen a footfall of 6,900 visitors.
According to
Dr Rahul Ghule, who started the concept, there have been over 15 RTIs filed by
citizens to the Food & Durg Administration (FDA) department within a month
of its opening. Dr Rahul Ghule, said, "We are a private organisation due
to which we did not receive any RTI directly but there are few filed with the
FDA by citizens to know about the funding and business model. It is good to see
that many people want to know about the 'one rupee clinic' initiative. We are
an open platform so citizens can ask us their queries. We have taken Rs 50 lakh
loan to open the clinics and there are no government funds involved. It is a
sustainable model."
FDA
Comissioner, Harshadeep Kamble, said, "Since it is collaboration, there is
no need of a giving special license to them."