‘They are busy selling liquor’: Mandaviya slams AAP over Ayushman Bharat scheme non-implementation in Delhi

Mansukh Mandaviya said that the Centre has made several requests to the Delhi government to prioritise the health of the people in the national capital.

Published on: Dec 2, 2024, 18:02:57 IST

By HT News Desk

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Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday attacked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, accusing them of ‘selling liquor’ instead of prioritising the health of Delhi's residents.

Union minister of youth affairs and sports and labour and employment, Mansukh Mandaviya. (ANI/FILE) (Jitender Gupta)

During a press conference, Mansukh Mandaviya discussed the importance of the central government's Ayushman Bharat and Ayushman Vaya Vandana schemes, saying that they should benefit the people of Delhi.

“The Government of India has written, and it is our request that the Delhi government should focus on the health of the people in the national capital. However, they are busy selling liquor. Central government schemes like Ayushman Bharat and Ayushman Vaya Vandana should benefit the people of Delhi,” ANI quoted Mandaviya as saying.

Mandaviya's remark followed the Delhi High Court's issuance of a notice to the Delhi government over its ‘failure’ to implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

On November 28, Delhi chief minister Atishi had said that the AAP government is prepared to implement the scheme. However, there are discrepancies between the facilities offered by the Delhi government hospitals and those under Ayushman Bharat.

“The Delhi government has always been committed to providing robust healthcare 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,” Atishi said.

She said that while Delhi government hospitals provide free care, Ayushman Bharat has restrictions, including denying benefits to those with certain assets and capping financial assistance at ₹5 lakh per family.

“The government is committed to free medical care and has directed the health department to explore ways to implement Ayushman Bharat without disadvantaging anyone,” Atishi had added.

The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the Delhi government on Thursday in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by all seven Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs from Delhi.

The petition calls for the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi.

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