New Delhi- In a major policy shift, the Rekha Gupta-led Delhi government is preparing to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre for the implementation of the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), an official indicated on Friday. This marks a reversal of the previous AAP government’s opposition to the scheme.
A significant step in this direction came as the Delhi government withdrew its petition from the Supreme Court, which had challenged a Delhi High Court directive to enter into an agreement with the Centre for ABHIM. A Bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and P.K. Mishra allowed the withdrawal, with Delhi government counsel Advocate Jyoti Mendiratta stating, “We are going ahead with the implementation of the scheme.”
The High Court had, in January, directed the AAP-led government to implement ABHIM on a pilot basis, following a 2017 Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that questioned the non-implementation of the scheme in Delhi while it was benefiting residents of 33 other states and Union Territories.
The Rekha Gupta administration’s move aligns with the BJP’s election promise to strengthen healthcare services in the national capital. The Chief Minister signaled her priority for healthcare reform in her first Cabinet meeting by unveiling a blueprint to activate 1,139 urban public health centres, termed Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (U-AAMs), under the ABHIM scheme. This initiative will receive Rs 2,406 crore in funding from the Centre.
To showcase its commitment, the Health Department has been tasked with setting up 11 model U-AAMs—one in each district—within 30 days under the supervision of District Magistrates. Additionally, the government plans to establish 413 new Urban Health Centres and upgrade the existing 553 Mohalla Clinics to U-AAMs, according to a note prepared by the Health Secretary.
Further expanding health coverage, the Delhi government aims to increase the number of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and enroll one lakh beneficiaries under Ayushman Bharat within a month, including residents of gated communities and upscale localities.
The decision reflects the BJP-led administration’s strategy of working in close coordination with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to enhance Delhi’s healthcare infrastructure.
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