Several states have created healthcare facilities with the utilisation of Ayushman Bharat funds but given them different names, like ‘Mohalla Clinic’ in Punjab, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told the Lok Sabha on Friday.
He termed the implementation of the scheme by the states in such a manner a “violation” of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) that they signed with the Centre.
“They won’t abide by the contract (MoU) and stop the health and wellness centre scheme, then the central government will not be left with any other option. Considering that they have stopped implementing the scheme, the grant that we give from here…,” the minister said.
“We release scheme-based grants. If they don’t utilise the scheme and follow its provisions, we are not left with any other option,” he added.
The minister was replying to a question asked by YSRCP member K Raghu Rama Krishna Raju.
“Several state governments are violating that (MoU), (they) have given their own names (to the scheme)…,” he said.
Citing one example, the minister said health infrastructure have been created in Punjab with utilisation of the funds provided by the central government under the Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centre scheme but the state government named these facilities as ‘Mohalla Clinics’.
“This should not be done,” Mandaviya said while replying to a question in Lok Sabha during Zero Hour.
“I have written to all the state governments, to Andhra Pradesh also,” he added. The minister appealed to the states to work with the central government in tandem, saying there was no need for “anybody” to play politics over providing healthcare facilities to people.
More than 1.54 lakh health and wellness centres have been set up across the country under the scheme since it was rolled out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018, Mandaviya said.
For the implementation of the scheme, the Centre bears 60 per cent of the total expenditure and states 40 per cent, he said.
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