Delhi HC to AAP govt: Sign MoU with Centre to implement PM-ABHIM scheme irrespective of poll code

A bench of Justices Prathiba Singh and Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora reviewed a suo motu petition from 2017, along with other related petitions concerning health infrastructure. Over time, the court has issued several directions to the Delhi government to implement the Dr Sarin Committee report, which focuses on enhancing and streamlining the city’s health infrastructure.

The Delhi government has chosen not to implement the scheme, although the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) AIIMS director, in a report dated December 10, stated that the scheme was being implemented only for diagnostic labs at the Indira Gandhi Hospital on a pilot basis. A division bench on December 12 directed that National Health Mission officials hold a meeting focused on implementing the PM-ABHIM Scheme in Delhi.

The court recorded, “The clear position that emerges from the above minutes is that the PM-ABHIM scheme would have to be implemented in its entirety in order to ensure that the residents of Delhi are not deprived of the funds and all the facilities under the said scheme. Clearly, the funds of one scheme cannot be sought to be released for some other projects, as is being sought to be asserted. The non-implementation of the PM-ABHIM scheme in Delhi, when 33 states and UTs have already implemented the same, would not be justified.”

“….This MoU shall be signed irrespective of a Model Code of Conduct, if any, as the same has been monitored by this court and is for the benefit of citizens of Delhi,” it added.

The court also directed that the MoU be placed before it by the next date of hearing, January 13.