The government on Monday said four states of Delhi, West Bengal, Odisha and Telangana have not yet implemented the ambitious Ayushman Bharat Yojana due to which the poor in these states are unable to derive benefits of comprehensive healthcare facilities, Press Trust of India reported.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan said he has personally talked to chief ministers and health ministers of these states and urged them to implement the scheme to help benefit the poor.
He, however, said no action has been taken against any state not joining the scheme as India has a federal system.
“There are four states which have not joined this scheme.
Besides Delhi, these are West Bengal, Odisha and Telangana,” he informed the Rajya Sabha during Question Hour.
“Our government has requested these states and I have written and urged the chief ministers and health ministers of these states, after meeting them personally, to implement the scheme, as the poor in states like Delhi are bereft of benefits of the healthcare Ayushman scheme.
“We will keep on insisting. We again appeal to these four states to join the scheme in the larger interest of healthcare. This will also help reduce their burden as the central government shares the burden with state governments in the scheme,” he said.
“We have a federal system. We cannot take any action against states. We can try and persuade them to join then scheme and we are trying that,” Vardhan said.
To a question on whether the government was considering to implement the scheme in Delhi through the local Municipal Corporation, the minister said there is no such talk yet but the government will find whether it is technically possible.
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