Delhi cabinet, led by CM Rekha Gupta, approves implementation of Ayushman Bharat Yojana

Delhi cabinet, led by CM Rekha Gupta, approves implementation of Ayushman Bharat Yojana

Delhi cabinet, led by CM Rekha Gupta, approves implementation of Ayushman Bharat Yojana BySohil Sehran Feb 20, 2025 11:02 PM IST Share Via Copy Link Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta also said the cabinet also approved the tabling of 14 pending CAG reports, which were not presented by the AAP government.

Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta, in her first cabinet meeting on Thursday, approved the implementation of Ayushman Bharat scheme with ₹5 lakhs top-up and tabling of 14 CAG reports in the first seating of the assembly.

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta takes charge at CM Office in New Delhi on Thursday (Arvind Yadav/ Hindustan Times)

“We discussed and passed two major agendas. The first was the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, which the previous government had blocked. Prime Minister Modi introduced this scheme for the entire nation, but due to the Aam Aadmi Party government, it could not be implemented in the capital. With a ₹5 lakh top-up from the Delhi government, the scheme will now be implemented,” said Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta while addressing the media.

Ayushman Bharat, the Government of India's flagship scheme, was launched as per the National Health Policy 2017 to advance Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Designed to align with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the initiative upholds the commitment to “leave no one behind.”

The previous AAP government, led by former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, had opposed the implementation of the Centre's Ayushman Bharat scheme in Delhi, saying that it would “amount to downgrading the healthcare initiatives already in place.”

She added that the second agenda of the cabinet meeting was the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports, as 14 of them were pending and were not tabled by the previous government in the Delhi legislative assembly.

Rekha Gupta said that these reports will be tabled in the first session of the House.

“We will fulfil each of our commitments one by one and get them passed,” said the newly sworn-in Delhi chief minister.

The Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi had resisted the tabling of reports, many of which were said to be critical of its functioning, with portions already made public by the BJP.

These reports addressed key issues, including the Delhi excise policy, the renovation of the chief minister’s official bungalow, vehicular pollution, public health, and the performance of government departments, all of which were key issues during the election campaign.