Union Health Minister urges Delhi government to implement PMJAY

This will be very helpful for poor and deprived families of Delhi. Now people from any part of the country can avail benefits in empanelled hospitals

New Delhi: Union Health Minister J P Nadda Thursday urged the Delhi government to implement the Centre's ambitious Ayushman Bharat scheme, saying not only the people of the national capital but those from other states who live in Delhi are also not getting health benefits under the initiative. The Union government on September 23 launched the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, which aims to provide a cover of Rs five lakh per family per year and is likely to benefit more than 10 crore poor families across India.

Delhi is one the three states that are yet to sign a MoU with the Centre to implement the scheme, over its naming and discussions between the city government and the National Health Agency are on, a health ministry official said.

A Delhi government official, on the condition of anonymity, told, "The issue has been due to the naming of the scheme for Delhi. The city government wants it to be 'Mukhya Mantri Aam Aadmi Swasthya Bima Yojana Ayushman Bharat' but the Centre wants Ayushman Bharat first in the name. We have had correspondences with the Health Ministry on this issue, so that's the situation," he added.

"I request Delhi Gov again to implement PMJAY scheme in entire Delhi. Delhi is the Heart of the Country, home to people from various states. By not implementing PMJAY, not only the people of Delhi but people from other states are also not getting the health benefits (sic)," Nadda tweeted.

Read Also: Implementation of Ayushman Bharat would have given free medical care to Odisha people: Narendra Modi

He said nine prominent private hospitals have signed pacts with NHA, the apex body responsible for implementing the scheme.

"This will be very helpful for poor and deprived families of Delhi. Now people from any part of the country can avail benefits in empanelled hospitals," he said in another tweet.

The nine hospitals are Cygnus Sonia Hospital, Dr Shroffs Charity Eye Hospital, Cygnus MLS Super Speciality Hospital, Lifeline Hospital, Kalra Hospital SRCNC Pvt Ltd, Centre for sight, Tarak Hospital, Bhatiya Gloval Hospital & Surgery Institution, and Kukreja Hospital and Heart Centre Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi.

Besides Delhi, Telangana and Odisha have also not signed MoUs with NHA for the scheme.