Ready in principle to execute Centre’s Ayushman Bharat scheme, says Atishi

Delhi Chief Minister says exploring the possibility of running it alongside their free treatment facility extended to city residents; Bidhuri promises scheme roll-out by BJP if it wins the Assembly election; Delhi High Court seeks response from AAP govt. over programme’s non-implementation

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Thursday said her government is “in-principle” ready for the implementation of the Centre’s flagship health insurance scheme — Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) — in the Capital.

However, the CM said they are exploring the possibility of running it concurrently with the free treatment facility being provided by them at the Delhi government hospitals as the ₹5-lakh annual health cover being offered under the plan leaves a large number of needy patients outside its ambit.

“We do not want anyone to not get free treatment. So, we have given directions to the Health Department to come up with a solution for that,” the Chief Minister told reporters.

Ms. Atishi’s remarks came a day after the Delhi High Court expressed shock at the Delhi government for not accepting healthcare funds from the Centre under the programme despite “lacking money” for the city’s healthcare system.

The court made the observation while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the city’s seven BJP Lok Sabha MPs, who sought the implementation of the plan in the Capital while asserting that its non-execution is forcing the poor to borrow or sell their assets to deal with medical emergencies.

Court hearing on Dec. 11

The High Court on Thursday sought a response from the Delhi government over the non-implementation of the scheme, which offers an annual health coverage of ₹5 lakh per family. A beneficiary can avail medical treatment at any empanelled hospital in the country under the scheme. The court will now hear the matter on December 11.

Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party has so far maintained that there is no need to implement the Central plan in the Capital as they are already providing free treatment without any cap on expenditure. 

“If you have a fridge, two-wheeler, or a pucca house, then you cannot avail of insurance benefit under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Also, there is a cap of ₹5 lakh per family per year. So, if one member of a family falls ill and needs ₹10 lakh for treatment, then he will have to pay ₹5 lakh from his own pocket,” Ms. Atishi said.

BJP signature campaign

Meanwhile, South Delhi Lok Sabha MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri announced a signature campaign from December 1 to 7 to push for the implementation of the scheme in Delhi.

He said the BJP will implement the programme in the Capital if it comes to power in the Delhi Assembly poll due in February next year.

Demanding the implementation of the Central plan, North West Delhi MP Yogender Chandoliya alleged that the hospitals run by the Delhi government lack proper diagnostic facilities. “In my constituency, the four hospitals being run by the Delhi government neither have enough doctors nor specialised facilities while cases of counterfeit medicines keep surfacing,” he alleged.

Published - November 29, 2024 12:58 am IST