Chandigarh: After nearly three weeks of protest, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Haryana has called off its strike and announced the resumption of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) services across the state from 12 am on August 26. The decision follows government assurances to clear long-pending dues and resolve operational issues.
The strike, which began on August 7, saw over 650 private hospitals suspend Ayushman Bharat treatment, citing unpaid dues of over ₹400 crore, arbitrary deductions, and claim settlement delays. This disruption had raised serious concerns for the 1.5 crore beneficiaries dependent on the scheme in Haryana.
In a four-hour-long meeting at the state secretariat, top officials — Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Sudhir Rajpal, and Ayushman Bharat CEO Sangeeta — assured IMA representatives that all pending claims would be cleared within 30 days. A written assurance is expected shortly.
Key decisions and assurances include:
- Pending dues to be released within a month.
- Streamlined mechanism for timely payments in the future.
- Requests for package rate revision and CAPF payments to be taken up with the Centre.
- “Green channel” system for faster clearances.
- Interest on delayed payments to be examined by the finance department.
- Withdrawal of show-cause or suspension notices issued during the strike period.
- SAFU (State Anti-Fraud Unit) to expedite pending reviews and share fraud details before any de-empanelment action.
Dr. Dhirender K Soni told India Today, “The government has accepted all our demands. The strike is being withdrawn based on these assurances.” IMA Haryana President Dr. Ajay Mahajan and Dr. Mahavir Jain confirmed that the decision was positive and built on mutual trust.
The scheme currently has a budget of ₹700 crore, while IMA has demanded at least ₹2,000 crore for smooth operations. Officials said the additional allocation will be presented in the Assembly.
