Six months after high-profile rollout, Ayushman Bharat struggles to gain ground in Delhi: Report
New Delhi: Six months after its much-publicised launch in the national capital, the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme is struggling to make an impact.
Despite issuing nearly 5 lakh health cards, only a small percentage of beneficiaries in Delhi have accessed treatment under the scheme. Major private hospitals continue to stay away, citing financial non-viability as a key concern, as reported by The New Indian Express on Monday.
Launched on April 10, the scheme had promised to extend health coverage to Delhi’s poor and vulnerable sections. Senior citizens were among the first to receive Ayushman cards, with the initiative hailed as a significant move toward inclusive healthcare. However, six months on, the ground reality tells a different story.
According to official data cited by TNIE, 4,99,230 cards have been issued so far, but only 9,254 patients have received treatment. Out of over 1,200 private hospitals in Delhi, just 166 have enrolled under the scheme. Officials admit that the lack of participation from large corporate hospitals has significantly limited the scheme’s reach.
“One of the biggest roadblocks has been the reluctance of big hospitals to join. The absence of top-tier facilities has hampered outreach, leaving a large section of poor and vulnerable populations waiting for care,” TNIE quoted an official from the State Health Agency overseeing the programme as saying.
Healthcare experts point to structural and financial shortcomings as reasons for the scheme's slow progress. Many hospitals have raised concerns about unviable treatment package rates and delayed reimbursements.
The Association of Healthcare Providers of India (AHPI), representing numerous private hospitals, has urged the government to revise the scheme’s terms. Among its demands is a clause mandating 1% interest on payments delayed beyond 30 days, to promote timely reimbursement and accountability.
Additionally, officials admit that the scheme's limited disease coverage is another hurdle, added the report. Currently, only 136 medical conditions are covered under Ayushman Bharat—far fewer than the number of conditions commonly treated in hospitals.
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CJI Surya Kant clarifies 'parasites' remarks, says 'pained' over media reports
New Delhi (PTI): Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday issued a strongly worded clarification on his 'parasites' remarks, saying he was "pained" by media reports that suggested he criticised youth.
"I am pained to read how a section of the media has misquoted my oral observations made during the hearing of a frivolous case yesterday," the CJI said in a statement.
Kant emphasised that his remarks were specifically directed at individuals entering the legal profession through "fake and bogus degrees" and were "misquoted by a section of the media."
The clarification follows a controversy during a hearing on Friday, when the CJI used words like "parasites" and "cockroaches" while pulling up a lawyer for his plea seeking senior designation.
"What I had specifically criticised were those who have entered professions like the Bar (legal profession) with the aid of fake and bogus degrees. Similar persons have sneaked into the media, social media, and other noble professions as well, and hence, they are like parasites.
"It is totally baseless to suggest that I criticised the youth of our nation. Not only am I proud of our present and future human resource, but every youth of India inspires me. It is not an exaggeration to say that Indian youth have great regard and respect for me, and I too see them as the pillars of a developed India," the chief justice said about his remarks.
