Health Minister Pankaj Singh Unveils Major Expansion Amid BJP Government’s 100-Day Milestone
New Delhi: In a significant healthcare development, Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh has announced that all major private hospitals in the city—including Apollo, Fortis, Max, Manipal, and others—will be brought under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) within the next 20 to 25 days. The announcement comes as the Rekha Gupta-led BJP government marks its first 100 days in office.
At present, Delhi’s Ayushman Bharat dashboard lists 82 private and 11 government hospitals as empanelled. However, leading private hospital chains have so far remained outside the scheme, citing past issues with pending payments and unviable rates under earlier administrations.
Clearing Dues, Building Trust
According to Singh, one of the main deterrents for private hospitals was the non-payment of dues by the previous AAP government under schemes like the Delhi Arogya Nidhi. “They did not make timely payments. Now, I assure that within 25 days, all major hospitals will be empanelled under Ayushman Bharat,” Singh stated, adding that talks with the hospital groups will be initiated soon.
Expanded Coverage and Low Utilization
The PMJAY scheme offers ₹5 lakh health insurance to economically weaker sections and an additional ₹5 lakh for senior citizens above 70. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta further announced a ₹5 lakh top-up from the Delhi government, effectively doubling the coverage for eligible residents.
Despite enrolling 3.16 lakh beneficiaries, with 30,000 aged above 70, only 601 have utilized services under the scheme so far. Beneficiaries are identified through the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011.
Private Sector Expresses Concerns
Dr. Vipender Sabherwal, convenor for Ayushman Bharat and representative of the Association of Healthcare Providers India (AHPI), highlighted pricing challenges: “The offered rates do not reflect the cost of quality care. Payments have also been delayed under the scheme.” AHPI represents 15,000 private hospitals nationwide, including Fortis, Max, Apollo, and Manipal.
Dr. Sabherwal confirmed that further dialogue with the Delhi government is planned, with the aim of reaching mutually viable solutions.
Healthcare Overhaul: Jan Arogya Mandirs Replacing Mohalla Clinics
As part of a broader transformation, the Delhi government will inaugurate 33 new Jan Arogya Mandirs on Saturday under the PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM). These upgraded centres will replace former mohalla clinics and dispensaries, offering 12 essential service packages ranging from maternal care, mental health, elderly care, vaccinations, to diagnostics and communicable disease treatment.
Each centre will conduct key in-house tests (e.g., blood sugar, haemoglobin, urine, pregnancy), while 90 additional tests will be outsourced to Agilus Lab. Facilities will also maintain a list of 256 essential medicines.
Health Minister Singh revealed that Delhi aims to establish 200 Jan Arogya Mandirs in total, marking a major step in reshaping primary and preventive healthcare across the capital.
