After facing criticism from the Delhi High Court, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government appears to be reconsidering their refusal to implement the Ayushman Bharat insurance scheme initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This comes after BJP MPs filed a plea in the court seeking implementation of the scheme in Delhi, while other states have already adopted it. The scheme, which was recently expanded to cover all individuals over 70, has been hailed as a crucial step towards providing universal healthcare, but political reasons have caused delay in its adoption in Delhi and West Bengal.
A recent address by Prime Minister Modi criticized the Delhi and West Bengal governments for not participating in the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY). In response, AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal defended the Delhi government's health scheme, stating that every resident receives free treatment. He also urged the adoption of the Delhi model nationwide. Meanwhile, in preparation for Thursday's event honoring Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, traffic restrictions have been announced in central Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticizes the Delhi and West Bengal governments for their refusal to implement the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, leaving senior citizens aged 70 and above unable to access the benefits. In his speech, Modi calls out these governments for prioritizing their political interests over the well-being of their citizens, pointing out the success of his government's health initiatives such as the establishment of affordable medicine centers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), which provides free health insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh annually for all citizens aged 70 years and above, regardless of their socio-economic status. However, the governments of Delhi and West Bengal have refused to implement this scheme since 2019, citing concerns over bearing 40% of the costs. PM Modi has expressed his regret for not being able to serve the elderly people in these states and condemned the politicization of healthcare accessibility.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi kickstarted his third term in office by signing off on the release of the 17th installment of PM Kisan Nidhi, a scheme aimed at benefiting 9.3 crore farmers and distributing Rs 20,000 crore. PM Modi emphasized his government's commitment to farmer welfare and expressed his desire to keep working towards their betterment. The previous two terms of his leadership have seen the implementation of various initiatives like Ayushman Bharat, Housing for All, and Make in India.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has met with the President and resigned along with the Council of Ministers. The President has accepted the resignation and requested the current government continue until the new government takes over. BJP's Odisha state chief has announced that the new government will implement the Ayushman Bharat Yojana in Odisha. Additionally, DoSEL and the National Book Trust have entered into a memorandum of understanding for creating the Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya.
The Union Health Ministry has mandated linking of CGHS beneficiaries ID with Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) ID by April 30, 2024. This move aims to create a digital health identification of beneficiaries and store their digital health records. While concerns have been raised about possible data leaks, the Ministry has clarified that protocols for anonymisation and aggregation of data will be defined after thorough stakeholder consultations. The linkage will not affect the current services offered by CGHS, but rather add to them. Approximately 44,98,914 beneficiaries are covered under CGHS across India, including serving employees and pensioners.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has submitted a representation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking financial assistance and approval for urgent projects, including an elevated corridor over Amrabad forest area and 29 additional IPS cadre posts. He also requested for the construction of an Indian Institute of Management in Hyderabad and for the release of central funds for Ayushman health centers in the state. CM Reddy thanked the Centre for permitting elevated corridors over Defence lands and urged for quick resolution of the Bharat Mala Pariyojana works in the state.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Indian government launched the Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH) during the G20 Health Ministerial Meeting in Gandhinagar, India. As a WHO Managed Network, GIDH aims to promote digital public infrastructure for healthcare and achieve sustainable digital health transformation. Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya highlighted India's success in digital health through initiatives like Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and urged all member countries to join in strengthening the global digital health framework.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced plans to establish more medical colleges in India during her presentation of the Interim Budget 2024-25 in Parliament. This initiative will utilize existing hospital infrastructure and create opportunities for youth to become doctors, while also improving healthcare services. Additionally, Sitharaman highlighted the inclusion of ASHA and Anganwadi workers under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme and the focus on STEM education for girls and women.