Partap Singh Bajwa accuses Punjab Government of misusing Ayushman funds

Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa on Thursday accused the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab Government of misusing funds under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

It has been more than four months since the Punjab and Haryana High Court asked the AAP Government to furnish details of the expenses incurred on advertising and purchase of new vehicles. However, the state government has failed to comply with the directions. The high Court was hearing a petition about the non-release of funds under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

“There are fair chances that the AAP Government misused the funds. Instead of clearing the dues of over Rs 500 crores of the private hospitals registered under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the government misutilised the funds perhaps on other things, including advertisements, purchasing new vehicles and renovation of the houses of ministers and MLAs,” Bajwa added.

Senior Congress Leader Bajwa said the private hospitals in the state suspended treatment of Ayushman card holders, claiming that their dues were not cleared by the state government.

Under this scheme, cashless and paperless treatment is available at government and empanelled private hospitals. Initially, 16.65 lakh families were covered under the Union Government’s programme. But in 2022, the then Congress government decided to extend the scheme to families of farmers and those who were not covered under any health scheme, thereby adding 22.12 lakh more beneficiary families.

“By not clearing the dues of hospitals, the AAP Government’s anti-poor face has been exposed. Meanwhile, the government is reluctant to provide details how the funds had been spent. The government seems to have a lot to hide,” Bajwa said.