Supreme Court stays HC order asking Delhi govt to sign MoU with Centre over Ayushman Bharat scheme

The development comes amid BJP slamming the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government for “depriving” the residents of city of better health services.

Updated on: Jan 17, 2025, 12:52:29 IST

By HT News Desk

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The Supreme Court on Friday stayed a Delhi high court direction asking the city government to sign an MoU with Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare by January 5, for implementing PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) scheme.

The Delhi government had filed a plea challenging the Delhi high court order.

The development comes amid BJP slamming the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government for “depriving” the residents of city of better health services by blocking the Ayushman Bharat scheme and refusing to accept ₹2,400 crore for strengthening medical facilities in the city.

Delhi govt vs BJP

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva on Tuesday alleged that the AAP government blocked the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme due to political reasons.

The BJP MPs approached the high court for implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, but the AAP has still not implemented the scheme even though it can be done despite the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct for the Delhi Assembly polls, Sachdeva said.

"I request the court to issue direction to the Delhi government because Ayushman Bharat scheme needs to be implemented for the benefit of people," news agency PTI quoted Sachdeva as saying at a joint press conference which was also attended by the BJP MPs from Delhi.

The BJP leader claimed the AAP government has turned down ₹2,400 crore assigned to it under a central scheme to strengthen the medical infrastructure in Delhi.

The AAP government has countered the demand for implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme in Delhi, saying it provided free health services while the Centre's scheme has various restrictive eligibility criteria for the beneficiaries.

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