BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat slams Delhi govt for not implementing Ayushman Bharat scheme, calls it "betrayal to people"

New Delhi [India], November 29 : BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat criticised the Delhi government for not implementing the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which provides health insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh to underprivileged families, calling it a betrayal of the people of the national capital.
"It is a huge betrayal of the people of Delhi that this scheme is not being implemented. Ayushman Bharat is one of the most beneficial schemes that, if implemented in Delhi, could provide great opportunities for its residents," she said.
Speaking to ANI, the BJP MP stated that if the people of the national capital benefit from Ayushman Bharat, they will not only have to rely on government hospitals but can also avail themselves of facilities at other hospitals.
"Delhi is the capital of the country and hence the number of people (population density) living here is more. If the people of Delhi get the benefit of Ayushman Bharat they'll not only have to depend on the government hospital but can avail of facilities at other hospitals as well. In the last 10 years, no new govt hospitals have been built and if they (people) do not have an Ayushman card, they cannot visit a private hospital," she said.
"When the scheme is implemented in the entire country including Punjab, the former CM Arvind Kejriwal and current CM Atishi are not letting this scheme be implemented here in Delhi," the BJP MP added.
This comes after the Delhi High Court issued a notice to the Delhi Government on Thursday on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by all seven Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs from Delhi.
The petition sought directions for the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi.
The bench, headed by Chief Justice Manmohan and comprising Justice Manmeet Pritam Arora, has linked the case with other ongoing matters concerning health infrastructure and scheduled the next hearing for December 11, 2024.
Bansuri Swaraj, senior advocate and BJP MP, represented all petitioner members of Parliament, arguing that the scheme has not been implemented in Delhi, thereby denying target beneficiaries easy and efficient access to the promised Rs 5 lakh coverage. This coverage is intended to protect individuals from catastrophic expenses related to secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation at a wide network of empanelled public and private hospitals.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Atishi said on Thursday that while her government is ready to implement the scheme, there are contradictions between the facilities offered by the GNCTD and those under Ayushman Bharat.
Addressing a press conference, CM Atishi reiterated the Delhi government's readiness to implement the scheme but highlighted the limited categories covered under Ayushman Bharat.
"The Delhi government has always been committed to providing robust health facilities. We are ready to implement the core principles of Ayushman Bharat. However, there are significant contradictions between the facilities provided by Delhi government hospitals and those under the Ayushman Yojana. In Delhi government hospitals, everything is free. On the other hand, Ayushman Bharat imposes restrictions, such as denying benefits to those who own a refrigerator, a vehicle, or a concrete house. It also caps the financial assistance at Rs5 lakh per family. If two family members are ill simultaneously, one may not receive benefits. We do not want to compromise free medical care. Therefore, we have instructed the health department to explore ways to implement the Ayushman Yojana without disadvantaging anyone," she said.
Earlier, on Wednesday, the bench had criticised the Delhi government for its poor health infrastructure and the lack of funds to improve it. The Court, in oral observations, criticised the Delhi government, stating that the health system is insufficient and not functioning properly.
The court highlighted the lack of updated medical equipment, with many existing devices not working, and noted that CT scan facilities for needy patients are nearly unavailable.