Rohit Shishodia
India’s health minister JP Nadda has appealed to the Delhi government to introduce Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojna in the national capital so that many poor people can avail the benefits of the scheme.

The health minister’s appeal has come after the induction of some private hospitals which have signed an MoU with the National Health Agency to implement the scheme in their hospitals in Delhi.

Some 10 to 15 private hospitals including Cygnus Sonia Hospital in Nangloi, Dr Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital, and the Cygnus MLS Super Specialty Hospital in Delhi have signed MoU with National Health Agency for implementing the scheme.

“I request Delhi government again to implement PMJAY scheme in Delhi. Delhi is the heart of the country and it is home to people from various states. By not implementing PMJAY, not only the people of Delhi but people from other states are also not getting the health benefits of the scheme,” Mr Nadda tweeted.

The health minister added, “8 prominent private hospitals have signed the PMJAY MoU with National Health Agency. This will be very helpful for poor and deprived families of Delhi. Now people from any part of the country can avail benefits in empaneled hospitals.”

The Delhi government has not implemented this scheme in Delhi as PMJAY only covers six lakh families translating into thirty lakh people. Many people who are poor will be deprived of health care benefits if this scheme is implemented, the Delhi government claims.

The PMJAY claims to provide free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh in private and government hospitals to some 50 crore people in India.