In 1st Meet, Delhi Cabinet Okays Health Scheme, Tabling Of Audit Reports

Keeping a key poll promise, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced after the first Cabinet meeting on Thursday that her government would implement the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme in the national capital. In a move that may ignite a political slugfest, the chief minister also said that 14 Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports, whose tabling had allegedly been delayed by the previous AAP government, will now be presented in the Assembly.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Ms Gupta said in Hindi, "During the cabinet meeting, we have taken two big decisions. The Ayushman Bharat Yojana, whose implementation had been held back by the previous government, will be implemented in Delhi with a top-up of Rs 5 lakh from the state government. PM Narendra Modi had announced the scheme for the whole nation, but Delhi could not get its benefits because of the AAP. This will be done at the earliest after the formalities are completed."

"There are 14 CAG reports pending, which were not tabled by the previous government. They will be tabled during the first session of the Assembly. These decisions were taken today. We will take up our other commitments, give shape to each one of them and present them before you soon," she added.

The implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana had become a major flashpoint between the AAP and the BJP. MPs from the BJP had also filed a petition in the Delhi High Court, seeking that the scheme be made available to people in the national capital.

The AAP had, however, argued that the capital's residents enjoy "superior" benefits under the Delhi government's schemes and implementing Ayushman Bharat would effectively be a downgrade. The Delhi government said that the Centre had used 2011 Census data for the Ayushman Bharat scheme, rendering it "old and archaic", and did not take the evolving circumstances of society into consideration.

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj had said there was no willingness on the part of the Delhi government to implement the central scheme. Both parties had made the issue an electoral one and the BJP had promised it would implement Ayushman Bharat when it came to power.

The tabling of the 14 CAG reports, including one on the scrapped liquor policy - which had led to AAP chief and then chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, then deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and other AAP leaders going to jail - had also become a big political issue.  

This matter was also being litigated in the Delhi High Court, which had, last month, refused to order a special session of the Assembly to discuss the reports. The bench had, however, noted the delay in their tabling. 

Atishi's Dare

Ahead of the first cabinet meeting, former chief minister Atishi had urged to BJP to implement its other poll promise of giving Rs 2,500 a month to eligible women. When Chief Minister Gupta was asked about this, however, she said, "It is our government, the agenda will be ours. Ask her (Atishi) why she did not implement it when the AAP was in power."

Atishi responded, saying that the women of Delhi were hoping the BJP would fulfil its promise, but the party had failed to do so. "The BJP has started breaking its promises on the first day itself," she alleged.

The BJP secured 48 seats in the Delhi Assembly elections, returning to power in the national capital after 26 years and reducing the once-formidable AAP to just 22.