Atal Swasthya Sewa is Centre's scheme: Virbhadra

"It is a centrally sponsored scheme...BJP can't befool people by changing its nomenclature to Atal Swasthya Sewa," former chief minister and HPCC president, Virbhadra Singh, said in a statement here.

Singh said the Emergency Response and Transport Systems scheme was introduced by the central government led by the Congress on a pilot basis as a part of NRHM in 2005 with a view to providing emergency ambulance services and medical care.

Singh also alleged kickbacks of Rs 7.24 crores were received in the purchase of the ambulance vehicles and added that improving access of the common man to health services had never been on the agenda of BJP.

"In fact the policies and actions of the BJP government have ruined and destroyed health services in the state," he said.

"Till date the scheme has been implemented in 22 states with 4,500 ambulances carrying 2 lakh patients per day providing emergency services to nearly 45 crore people of the country and involving an expenditure of nearly 600 crores per year by the central government," he claimed.

It was also India's largest and perhaps most successful public private partnership in the health sector with a current annual spending of about Rs 540 crore and likely to increase to Rs 900 crore during the current financial year.

Impressed by the success of the scheme, HPCC chief said the present BJP government renamed the scheme misleading the voters by creating a wrong impression that this scheme was BJP government's baby.

"The BJP seems to be of the view that if you repeat a lie a hundred times through the Information and Public Relations Department it becomes true. But the people of the state are wise enough to read into their ulterior designs," he added.

Along with other revolutionary flagship schemes of the Congress led government like MNREGA, JNNURM and Bharat Nirman etc the Congress has worked hard to give a practical shape and enough funds to implement the Emergency Response and Transport Systems scheme under NRHM throughout the country, including Himachal Pradesh.

"In order to prevent states from diverting funds away from education, health and other welfare schemes, the funds are released by the central government directly to the state implementing agencies in addition to the state budgetary provisions," he said.