Delhi: NDMC resolution against Sanjeevani scheme

The BJP also said that they have sent a proposal to the council’s legal department to examine if Kejriwal can be removed as a member

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on Thursday passed a resolution condemning Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal for not implementing the Central government’s Ayushman Bharat — a national public health insurance scheme — in the Capital, and for allegedly “misinforming people” about the AAP government’s Sanjeevani Yojana scheme.

On Thursday, the resolution passed by NDMC was signed by five BJP members, including New Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj. (ANI)

The BJP also said that they have sent a proposal to the council’s legal department to examine if Kejriwal — an ex-officio member by virtue of being the New Delhi legislator — can be removed as a member for not attending four consecutive meetings of the civic body, and for not taking oath as a member.

In response, the AAP claimed that the Delhi government allocates ₹9,000 crore annually on its residents, while the entire country’s budget under Ayushman Bharat is only ₹7,200 crore. Party leaders also said that Kejriwal’s removal as an NDMC member is “untenable”.

The Ayushman Bharat scheme, launched in 2018, aims to provide health cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.

Under the Sanjivani Yojana, meanwhile, all Delhi residents aged 60 years and above will be provided free treatment in government and private hospitals in the city, and the cost will be borne by the state. However, the state health department on December 25 said the scheme is “non-existent”, that no such scheme had been notified by the Delhi government, and urged residents not to share personal data, highlighting the bizarre internal discord within the administration.

On Thursday, the resolution passed by NDMC was signed by five BJP members — New Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj, vice chairman Kuljeet Singh Chahal, and members Anil Valmiki, Sarita Tomar, Dinesh Pratap Singh. Kejriwal was not present, while the other AAP member — Delhi Cantt MLA Virender Kadiyan — argued that the council can only deliberate the issues related to NDMC, and not on the Delhi assembly.

The remaining members of the council are all bureaucrats.

Sharing details of the resolution, Swaraj posted on X, “In the meeting, a resolution condemning the neglect of public interest by former Chief Minister of Delhi Shri Arvind Kejriwal ji by not implementing the Ayushman Bharat scheme in Delhi was unanimously passed. Also, it became clear that no such scheme as the so-called Sanjeevani Yojana exists. Important issues related to the development of New Delhi region were also discussed in detail.”

In response, the AAP in a statement alleged that Delhi’s healthcare allocation is more than the entire budget for Ayushman Bharat.

“Delhi’s government allocates 16% of its budget to healthcare, spending ₹9,000 crore annually on its residents; in contrast, the entire country’s budget under Ayushman Bharat is only ₹7,200 crore. In Delhi, all medicines, tests, and treatments are completely free of cost,” the statement said.

“Arvind Kejriwal has created such an excellent healthcare system that no one from Delhi seeks treatment in UP or Haryana. Furthermore, under Ayushman Bharat, there is no OPD facility, and the scheme includes several exclusions. For example, if a household owns a refrigerator or a TV, they are disqualified from the scheme; However, under the Delhi government’s healthcare schemes, there are no such restrictions. This ensures that healthcare is accessible to all, without discrimination,” the statement added.

Separately, Chahal at a press conference said that a proposal has been sent to the council’s legal department to examine if Kejriwal can be removed as a member.

“Section 8 of the NDMC Act clearly says that if for three successive months, a member without permission of the council is absent from all meetings thereof, the council may recommend to the Central Government that the seat of such a member may be declared vacant. We have sent the matter to law department to legally examine the issue and advise us about next steps,” he said.

To be sure, the new NDMC council was constituted on November 9, with lieutenant governor VK Saxena administering oath to the members.

Kadiyan said that the proposal is not legally tenable as Kejriwal is an ex-officio member by virtue of being the New Delhi MLA. “In October, the council has been constituted afresh and the cycle has to start afresh,” he said.