"BJP Slams AAP Governance Over "Deliberate Ignorance" of Central Health Scheme in Delhi"

In a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of Delhi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vijender Gupta has accused the ruling party of "deliberately" ignoring the implementation of the Centre's Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) scheme.

In a letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is also the leader of opposition in the Delhi assembly, Gupta claimed that the money allocated for the PM-ABHIM scheme could have been used to set up a large number of healthcare centres, laboratories and intensive care units (ICUs) across the city.

The PM-ABHIM scheme, which has a total investment of Rs 64,180 crore, aims at bolstering the country's healthcare system by enhancing facilities in rural and urban areas. However, despite being allocated Rs 2,406 crore, Delhi government failed to implement the scheme, leaving over one billion people in the city without access to improved health infrastructure.

Gupta alleged that the AAP government outsource lab services in public hospitals to private companies, while conducting "fake" tests at mohalla clinics and hospitals. He claimed that there was no need to rope in private players for conducting lab tests if PM-ABHIM was implemented.

"This is not just an oversight, but a deliberate attempt by the Aam Aadmi Party to deny Delhi its rightful share of the PM-ABHIM benefits," Gupta said in his statement. "The government has been circulating the PM-ABHIM file for years without taking any action, denying two crore people of Delhi access to improved healthcare facilities."

Gupta is set to meet with Governor Ramesh Bhai Pushkar to discuss the issue further, and express concerns over the lack of progress in implementing the vital health initiative in Delhi.