New Delhi: A petition has come before the Supreme Court assailing the non implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), commonly known as the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, by Delhi, Telangana, Odisha and West Bengal.
The PIL asks this action of the states to be declared “illegal, unconstitutional and contrary to Articles 14 and 21.”
The petitioner submitted that the Union of India budgets Rs 6,400 crores every year on this Yojana, to provide health insurance 50 crore people. Under this scheme poor people are entitled to avail of treatment for various health problems including the Testing and Treatment for Covid 19.
The petitioner further contended that except Telangana, Delhi, West Bengal and Odisha all the states are implementing/availing the Ayushman Bharat scheme. The non-implementation of this scheme by the four states has resulted in the denial of health insurance benefit provided by Union of India to the people of the four states which are contrary to Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India.
“Due to non availability of health insurance and lack of proper facilities in government hospitals, poor and middle class people are forced to pay huge sums of money for the Covid19 treatment in private hospitals,” said the plea.
Under these circumstances, prays the petitioner, a comprehensive scheme may be framed by the Union of India and National Health Authority to provide Ayushman Bharat Health Insurance Scheme for desiring/eligible people and interested people may be given option to avail Ayushman Bharat scheme or local health schemes run by state governments.
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The bench of Chief Justice S. A. Bobde, Justice A. S. Bopanna and Justice V. Ramasubramanian today issued notice, returnable within 4 weeks, to the Centre and the states.
-India Legal Bureau