By The Sampadak Express
In her first cabinet meeting on Thursday, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta approved the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana with an added ₹5 lakh top-up from the Delhi government. This decision marks a significant shift after the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government blocked the scheme, despite its introduction by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for nationwide rollout.
Speaking to the media, CM Rekha Gupta emphasized the importance of the scheme, saying, “The previous government had blocked the Ayushman Bharat Yojana. Prime Minister Modi introduced this national initiative, but it could not be implemented in Delhi due to the AAP government’s opposition. Now, with a ₹5 lakh top-up from the Delhi government, we will implement the scheme.”
The Ayushman Bharat Yojana, launched as part of the National Health Policy 2017, aims to advance Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The previous AAP government, led by Arvind Kejriwal, had opposed the implementation of the scheme in Delhi, arguing that it would downgrade the existing healthcare initiatives.
Tabling of CAG Reports
Another key agenda discussed in the cabinet meeting was the tabling of 14 pending Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports, which had not been presented in the Delhi Legislative Assembly by the previous government. CM Gupta confirmed that these reports would be tabled in the first session of the Assembly.“
These reports will be presented in the first session of the House. We will fulfill our commitments one by one,” she said. The reports, which cover critical issues such as Delhi’s excise policy, the renovation of the Chief Minister’s official residence, vehicular pollution, public health, and government department performance, were all contentious topics during the recent elections.
The AAP government had previously resisted the tabling of these reports, some of which were critical of its administration. Portions of these reports had already been made public by the BJP ahead of the elections.
With these decisions, CM Rekha Gupta has signaled her administration’s commitment to transparency and the implementation of key welfare initiatives, starting with the Ayushman Bharat Yojana and the tabling of pending reports.