Chennai, Sep 24 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came down heavily on the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government, accusing Chief Minister M.K. Stalin of deliberately delaying the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and thereby depriving millions of people of affordable, life-saving care.
Tamil Nadu BJP spokesperson A.N.S. Prasad, in a statement on Wednesday, said the obstruction of the flagship scheme, launched under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, was a “betrayal of the state’s people” and a setback to universal healthcare.
“By stalling approvals, neglecting coordination, and creating barriers for private hospital participation, the Stalin government is putting partisan politics above citizens’ welfare,” he charged.
Prasad contrasted this with the national impact of the scheme, which he described as the world’s largest health assurance programme. “Ayushman Bharat has extended universal access to more than 55 crore people, dismantled barriers to treatment, and provided dignity to the poor. This is a revolutionary change that the Tamil Nadu government is unjustly blocking,” he said.
According to the BJP, over 42 crore Ayushman cards have been issued, alongside 81 lakh Vay Vandana cards for senior citizens, nearly half of them to women. Treatments worth Rs 496 crore have already been availed by the elderly. The scheme has reduced out-of-pocket medical expenses from 63 per cent to 39 per cent while raising government health spending from 29 per cent to 48 per cent.
The spokesperson also pointed to preventive and community health measures under the programme, including 55 crore hypertension screenings, 48 crore diabetes checks, affordable dialysis sessions, and major surgeries that save families up to Rs 15,000 each.
About 1.8 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs deliver free diagnostics, yoga, meditation, and fitness sessions to communities. At the same time, digital integration has connected over four lakh health facilities and seven lakh professionals with 72 crore health records.
Prasad said Prime Minister Modi’s leadership had turned Ayushman Bharat into a global healthcare model, quoting Thirukkural verses to describe the scheme’s compassion and foresight.
“This is not an insurance business; it is a lifeline for the poor and a model for the world,” he noted.
He urged the state Health Minister to immediately register private hospitals and ensure seamless access for beneficiaries. “Let not healthcare be held hostage to politics. The people of Tamil Nadu deserve Ayushman Bharat in full measure,” he said.
–IANS
aal/dpb
