Delhi’s newly sworn-in Chief Minister, Rekha Gupta, held her first key meeting with the council of ministers on Thursday evening, swiftly approving the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. This decision comes after the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had declined to roll out the scheme in Delhi.
The Ayushman Bharat initiative, which has been successfully adopted in all states except West Bengal and Delhi, will now be extended to the national capital, providing health insurance coverage to millions of residents. The move was part of Gupta’s efforts to push for reforms and improve healthcare access in the city.
During the meeting, Gupta also addressed the issue of 14 pending Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports, announcing that these would be tabled in the upcoming session of the Delhi Assembly. The reports highlight large-scale financial discrepancies, including a notable one regarding the renovation of the Delhi Chief Minister’s official residence at 6 flag staff Road. Initially budgeted at Rs 7.61 crore in 2020, the project’s cost surged to Rs 33.66 crore by April 2022, marking a staggering 342% increase. This report has been a point of contention, with both the BJP and Congress accusing former CM Arvind Kejriwal of mismanaging public funds.
Gupta’s cabinet also discussed the financial assistance scheme for women, a promise made by the BJP during the election campaign. The Rs 2,500 monthly aid, however, still requires further deliberation with officials from the Women and Child Welfare Department (WCD) to finalize the details.
In a related development, the Delhi Chief Secretary recently directed the Health Department to prepare a Cabinet note for the implementation of Ayushman Bharat. Under this scheme, people aged 70 and above are entitled to an annual insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh, regardless of their income. The BJP has emphasized the benefits of the scheme, especially for elderly citizens, contrasting it with the AAP government’s Delhi Arogya Kosh, which they argue offers limited coverage.
