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Going ahead with implementation of PM-ABHIM scheme, Delhi government tells SC

The previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi had challenged a Delhi High Court order asking it to sign an MoU with the Centre to implement the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission.

Recently, several reports claimed that a judge of the Supreme Court had made observations orally disagreeing with the trend of “freebies” being promised during elections and questioning whether it was better to integrate the underprivileged into mainstream society. (Express File Photo)

The BJP government in Delhi on Friday told the Supreme Court that it has decided to go ahead with the implementation of the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) scheme in the national capital.

Advocate Jyoti Mendiratta, appearing for the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD), conveyed this to a bench of Justices B R Gavai and P K Mishra while seeking permission to withdraw a plea filed by the erstwhile Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, challenging the Delhi High Court order asking the government to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre to implement the scheme.

Responding to the request, Justice Gavai, apparently keeping in mind the change in government in Delhi, remarked, “Now you won’t be interested”.

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The counsel then said, “We are going ahead with the implementation of the scheme.”

The court allowed the request for withdrawing the appeal.

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

On January 17, the Supreme Court had stayed the December 24, 2024, Delhi High Court order asking the GNCTD to sign the MoU by January 5, 2025, irrespective of the Model Code of Conduct coming into force then in the run-up to the Assembly elections.

The AAP government in Delhi had chosen not to implement the PM-ABHIM scheme even though the All India Institute of Medical Sciences director had stated in a report that it was only being implemented for diagnostic labs at the Indira Gandhi Hospital on a pilot basis.

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