Delhi Health Minister Criticizes Ayushman Bharat Scheme

Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj criticized the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, stating it only exists on paper. During his visit to GB Pant Hospital, he noted that many patients were from BJP-ruled states, questioning the scheme's effectiveness and its failure to help underprivileged citizens.

Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj launched an attack on the Centre over the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, asserting it exists merely on paper. His comments came during a Diwali visit to the Delhi-run GB Pant Hospital, where he met patients and distributed festive greetings and fruits.

Bharadwaj's remarks are part of a broader political fray between Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party over the scheme's absence in the national capital. During his hospital visit, he assessed healthcare services and spoke with patients and their families for feedback.

He noted that around 80% of the patients he interacted with were from BJP-governed states like Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, who had traveled to Delhi for treatment. Bharadwaj questioned the necessity of such journeys given the Ayushman Bharat scheme and nearby private hospitals, suggesting the central scheme's ineffectiveness for the underprivileged.

(With inputs from agencies.)