The Delhi Government on Monday said it would implement the Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana in Delhi from fiscal 2020-21 to provide health insurance cover up to five lakh per family every year.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds finance portfolio, made the announcement while presenting the Delhi Budget in the Assembly on Monday.
"The Delhi Government will implement the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana in Delhi in 2020-21 to provide health insurance cover up to Rs 5 lakh per family every year," he said.
The Ayushman Bharat scheme plans to cover over 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families as per the socio-economic caste census (SECC). It provides a cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year which includes 1,400 pre-defined packages spread over 23 specialities.
The Government has also set aside Rs 724 crore in 2020-21 to build new hospitals and upgrade existing Government hospitals, as compared to the revised estimates of 195 crore in 2019-20, the Finance Minister said.
Sisodia also said that the Government has started upgrading and expanding existing hospitals and construction of new hospitals to increase the bed capacity from 10,000 beds to 26,000 beds. “An estimated cost of Rs 2,578 crore has been approved for upgrading and expanding the 16 existing hospitals and construction work has already been started in some hospitals,” hje said, adding that the expansion of existing hospitals and construction of new hospitals will increase the bed capacity by 16,000 more beds.
“The work of hospitals in Burari and Ambedkar Nagar has been completed and health services will start soon. The construction work of the hospital at Dwarka is in advanced stage,” he said during the speech.
He also announced that free treatment, surgery, radiology, diagnostic schemes and medical treatment being provided through the Arogya Kosh in Delhi will now come under the purview of the “Mukhya Mantri Swasthya Yojna” in which 1016 surgical packages are provided free of cost.
“I make a provision of Rs 125 crore for the “Mukhya Mantri Swasthya Yojna”, which includes the provision of Rs 100 crore under Delhi Arogya Kosh,” he said.
The Government has earmarked Rs 20 crore in2020-21to strengthen the facility of tele-radiology. Besides, non-radiology laboratory diagnostic facility will be made available through public private partnership.
Talking about another important step in health services, Sisodia said that the Delhi government is bringing the “Mukhya Mantri Health Card” Scheme for the people of Delhi. “Under this scheme, health ID cards will be prepared and distributed to all the residents of Delhi. The health ID card will be linked to the hospital information management system in all the health centers of the government,” he added.
Sisodia also said that the government will introduce a comprehensive ‘Delhi Health Bill’ to regulate the quality of health care services and to protect the rights of patients and common people.