Ayushman Bharat a jumla imposed on Delhi: Bhardwaj

New Delhi: The AAP on Sunday termed the BJP-led Centre's flagship Ayushman Bharat health insurance programme a 'jumla' and alleged that the scheme is being imposed on the people of Delhi. The reaction came after Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday rebutted Arvind Kejriwal's claim that the AAP government's health scheme is "10 times bigger and comprehensive" than the Ayushman Bharat programme saying the Delhi Chief Minister's "callous" response shows he is "least interested" in the welfare of the people of the city.

Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj, in a video message, said if Vardhan is so concerned about the people of the national capital, then the Centre should allot land for mohalla clinics to Delhi government.

He said, "The DDA has not allotted land for a single mohalla clinic. If Harsh Vardhan is so concerned about the well being of the people of Delhi, then he should allot land for construction of mohalla clinics." "The Centre wants to impose Ayushman Bharat on Delhi. The bizarre scheme only pays for your (people's) treatment when you fulfil certain criteria like if your income is below Rs 10,000, if you have no gas connection at your home among others. On the other hand, in Delhi government's hospitals everyone gets free treatment," the spokesperson said.

"If the scheme is so successful in States like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh as claimed by the Centre then why half of the patients in Delhi's government hospitals are from these two States. It means the scheme is a 'jumla' and is being forcefully imposed on Delhi," Bhardwaj added.

Vardhan has shot off a second letter to the Delhi Chief Minister as the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme became yet another bone of contention between the Centre and the Delhi government, which has refused to implement it in the city.

After the Union Health Minister wrote to Kejriwal pressing him on the issue, the Chief Minister had replied on Friday that the Delhi Government has introduced free health care and, therefore, need not implement the central scheme.

But Vardhan hit back saying all "fancy schemes" of the AAP government, "including the much-touted Universal Coverage Health Scheme, announced more than a year ago, are still lying on the drawing boards awaiting implementation even after four-and-half-years"

"Shriman Kejriwal ji, your tenure as Chief Minister of Delhi is about to expire. It is only with an eye on the impending assembly election that you have started befooling the public by showering bizarre schemes one after another that shall never take off," the Union Health Minister said. "Your Mohalla Clinics are an utter flop and the drastic neglect of patient care in Delhi government hospitals is there for all to see," the Union Health Minister said in his letter.

At the same time, Vardhan invited the Chief Minister to work together for the larger good of the people of Delhi and the country and said the proposed scheme of Delhi Government can be linked with Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY).