BJP MPs Ravi Kisan and Manoj Tiwari slam Delhi government over Ayushman Bharat scheme implementation

New Delhi [India], December 5 : BJP MPs Ravi Kishan and Manoj Tiwari on Thursday lashed out at the Delhi government for not implementing the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, accusing it of denying the benefits of free healthcare to the city's poor.
Kisan claimed that in BJP-ruled states, people are receiving free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh, but the poor people of Delhi are not benefitting from the scheme. They also announced a signature campaign to pressure the Delhi government to adopt the scheme.
"Wherever there is a BJP government, people are getting free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh, but the Delhi government is not implementing this scheme and the poor people of Delhi are not getting its benefits. We are starting a signature campaign today. We are issuing a mobile number, you can give a missed call on this number and we will tell how many people of Delhi want this scheme to be implemented in Delhi", the MPs said in a video.
The Ayushman Bharat Yojana is a national health insurance scheme aimed at providing free medical treatment up to Rs 5 lakh for poor families.
While BJP MPs pushed for its implementation in Delhi, Chief Minister Atishi of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) responded by saying that her government is ready to implement the scheme but with some concerns.
On November 28, the Delhi High Court issued a notice to the Delhi government regarding the non-implementation of the scheme, following a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the seven BJP MPs from Delhi. CM Atishi, speaking at a press conference, acknowledged the Delhi government's commitment to providing strong healthcare services but pointed out differences between the facilities available under Ayushman Bharat and those already offered by the Delhi government.
"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.," she explained.
Atishi stressed that the Delhi government does not want to compromise on free medical care and has instructed the health department to explore ways to implement the Ayushman Bharat Yojana without disadvantage.