New Delhi, October 1:
BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh today blasted the AAP government in Punjab for squandering the funds provided by the Centre for public welfare schemes to meet their political ends.
Chugh demanded resignation of the Punjab Health Minister for misusing funds allocated under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme to make the patients across Punjab suffer for it. He said as observed by the Pnjab and Haryana High Court , the Bhagwant Mann government diverted more than Rs 350 crores, meant for the treatment of patients under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme, for political reasons.
He said it is a criminal neglect of health services in Punjab for ahiwhc the Bhagwant Mann government must be held accountable. Chugh said similarly the central funds meant for imprving the school education system have been misused by the AAP government for political reasons , for which the chief minister should be held accountable.
Chugh said under the AAP rule in Punjab, the people of Punjab have been let down. The Ayushman Bharat scheme, which is a lifeline for the underprivileged, is being choked due to the government’s failure to disburse payments. The Centre has released over ₹350 crore under this scheme, yet the Punjab government has not acted in ensuring this money reaches the hospitals. This has resulted in hospitals refusing to treat patients, depriving the poor of essential healthcare.”
Chugh further condemned saying “Already, government hospitals in Punjab are in a pitiful state with a lack of doctors, staff, and even basic medicines. The crisis in the health department is deepening every day . The Aam Aadmi Health Clinics, started by the AAP govt has miserably failed. Crores of rupees have been misused in the name of these clinics, which were launched with much hype, but today, they are far from serving the healthcare needs of the people. This failure not only highlights the financial mismanagement but also exposes the inability of this government to deliver on its promises.
The financial support under the National Health Mission (NHM) for the year 2022-23, for Punjab amounting to ₹145.88 crore, was intended to strengthen infrastructure, pay Community Health Officers (CHOs), provide medicines, and ensure diagnostic services. However, it seems that these funds too have not been properly utilized. Where has all the money gone? The people of Punjab deserve answers.
On top of this The Punjab and Haryana High Court’s serious view of this situation highlights the concern of the Punjab people. The court’s decision to attach the salaries of top health officials, including the health secretary, is a clear sign that the state’s health department is in shambles. The court has raised pertinent questions about the state’s spending, and the govt must answer these questions raised by the court. How much money has been spent on advertisements?
How much has been spent on renovating the bungalows of ministers and officers? How much has been spent on purchasing new vehicles? while the poor continue to suffer without healthcare.
It is shocking that while the central government has done its part by releasing ₹355.48 crore, the state government has neither disbursed the funds to hospitals nor fulfilled its responsibility of providing the remaining 40% share. The court’s intervention was necessary because the Bhagwant Mann government failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for this blatant mismanagement.
While the poor suffer, the AAP government is more concerned about its political interests and lavish spending on publicity and perks for ministers. CM Bhagwant Mann’s government seems more focused on pleasing its Delhi masters than serving the people of Punjab.
Bhagwant Mann has not only mismanaged the state’s resources but has also played with the lives of crores of Punjabis. The people of Punjab deserve better. They deserve a government that cares for their welfare, not one that is busy making false claims and promoting failed health models.
Chugh said that The BJP stands with the people of Punjab in demanding immediate action. The health of the people should never be compromised for political mileage, and this government must be held accountable for its failure. The hospitals should be paid their dues immediately, and the people of Punjab must not be deprived of their basic right to health care any longer. The AAP government must stop playing politics with the lives of people”.
