AAP govt will implement Ayushman Bharat scheme in Delhi: Sisodia

The Delhi government on Monday said it would implement the Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana in Delhi from fiscal 2020-21, changing its stance on the enforcement of the scheme in the national capital.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds finance portfolio, made the announcement while presenting the Delhi budget in the assembly on Monday.

"The Delhi government will implement the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana in Delhi in 2020-21 to provide health insurance cover up to ? 5 lakh per family every year," he said.

The scheme has been a bone of contention between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party in the national capital.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari has been constantly attacking the AAP dispensation for not implementing the scheme in the national capital and depriving people of its benefits.

Last year, Health Minister Satyendar Jain had said the government will not implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme in the national capital as the Arvind Kejriwal dispensation seeks to provide equitable treatment to all residents here.

The Ayushman Bharat scheme plans to cover over 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families as per the socio-economic caste census (SECC). It provides a cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year which includes 1,400 pre-defined packages spread over 23 specialities.

The PM-JAY has been rolled out for the bottom 40 per cent of the poor and vulnerable population in the country. In absolute numbers, it is close to 10.74 crore (100.74 million) households.

The inclusion of households is based on the deprivation and occupational criteria of the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011) for rural and urban areas, respectively.