MoU with Centre on April 10 to implement AB-PMJAY; Delhi to shut down non-functional Mohalla clinics

New Delhi: Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh on Tuesday said the government will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Centre on April 10 to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in the national capital with an aim to enrol one lakh people for the health cover scheme within a month.

Implementation of the scheme was one of the major promises of the BJP for the Delhi Assembly elections held in February.

The previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had devised its own scheme after refusing to implement the AB-PMJAY.

Addressing a press conference, Singh also announced plans to shut down the non-functional Mohalla Clinics operating on rented properties, and replace them with new clinics on government lands.

"Each assembly constituency currently has about seven Mohalla Clinics running from rented premises. Since we have our own land, why not build them (Mohalla Clinics) there instead? Around 160 such clinics on rent that aren't functioning properly will be shut down," Singh said.

The AB-PMJAY provides health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to approximately 55 crore beneficiaries corresponding to 12.37 crore families constituting the economically vulnerable bottom 40 per cent of India's population.

On October 29, 2024, the Central government expanded the AB-PMJAY to provide free treatment benefits of up to Rs 5 lakh per year to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of their socio-economic status.