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This is an archive article published on December 25, 2024

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

The Delhi government has chosen not to implement the PM-ABHIM scheme, which aims to strengthen public health infrastructure to respond to future pandemics and outbreaks.

delhi high courtThe court asked petitioner one Vijay Kumar to address submissions on the maintainability of the plea and posted the hearing on January 10. (File Photo)

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the national capital needed to sign an MoU with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare before January 5 for implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), irrespective of imposition of Model Code of Conduct in the run-up to the Assembly elections.

PM-ABHIM is a Central government scheme that aims to strengthen public health infrastructure to respond to future pandemics and outbreaks.

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.

Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court Professional Profile Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express. Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare). Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others. She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020. With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles: High-Profile Case Coverage She has extensively covered the various legal battles - including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission - pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots. She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy. Signature Style Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system. X (Twitter): @thanda_ghosh ... Read More

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