News Patiala: 4 August 2022
There has been an uproar over the free treatment of Punjabis under the Ayushman scheme in the Chandigarh-based PGI. PGI has stopped the treatment due to arrears of Rs 16 crore. After this, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema said that the funds have been released. The free treatment will resume from today i.e. Thursday. Along with this, the PGI management says that like other patients, Punjab patients will also be treated in the same routine. The due amount of the Ayushman scheme has not yet reached PGI. Under the Ayushman scheme, patients can get cashless treatment for up to 5 lakhs by showing a card.
Finance Minister Harpal Cheema said that the Congress government had canceled the agreement with the insurance company on 29 December 2021. Wherever there is a need, the AAP government is giving money. He said that dues of all government hospitals have been released under the Ayushman scheme. Many complaints were received from many places in private hospitals, which are being investigated.
CM Bhagwant Mann has come under the target of opponents due to the cessation of free treatment in PGI. Akali Dal leader Parambans Romana said that CM Mann himself has gone to Delhi for treatment, where should the poor man go? Along with this, BJP and Congress have also targeted the ‘AAP government under the pretext of the Delhi model.