The Supreme Court on Friday temporarily paused a Delhi High Court order that directed the Delhi government to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to implement the Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) in the national capital. The Court has also issued notices to the Centre, AIIMS, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) after hearing a petition from the Delhi government challenging the High Court’s ruling.

The Delhi High Court had, last month, instructed both the central and Delhi state governments to sign the MoU by January 5, 2025, in order to implement the PM-ABHIM scheme in Delhi. However, the AAP-led Delhi government has strongly opposed the move, claiming that its existing health schemes provide better benefits to the city's residents

In a detailed affidavit submitted to the High Court, the Delhi government argued that the central health scheme, launched in 2018, is based on outdated data and does not suit the needs of Delhi. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) emphasised that the PM-ABHIM scheme, which offers Rs 5 lakh coverage per family for hospital care, would only benefit 12-15 per cent of Delhi’s population, leaving the majority without healthcare support. 

 “PMJAY would only benefit about 12 per cent to 15 per cent of Delhi’s population, leaving a majority without access to health benefits,” the affidavit stated. It further claimed that replacing existing state schemes with the central one would harm residents by reducing the quality of services they currently receive. 

The Delhi government’s health initiatives, including the Delhi Arogya Kosh Scheme (DAK), were highlighted as more inclusive, offering better coverage with no caps on medical expenses. The AAP has long argued that Delhi’s healthcare framework is far superior to the one proposed under PM-ABHIM, and implementing the central scheme would be a step backwards for the city.

“Substituting our programs with AB-PMJAY will deprive Delhi's residents of vital benefits,” the affidavit added, adding that Delhi's residents would lose access to the high-quality healthcare services they currently enjoy.

The BJP, however, has accused the AAP government of denying Delhi residents the key healthcare benefits provided under the central government’s PM-ABHIM scheme. In a petition filed by seven BJP MLAs, including Harsh Malhotra, the party contended that Delhi was the only Union Territory where the PMJAY scheme had not been rolled out, leaving its residents without adequate healthcare options available to people in other parts of the country.

The BJP's petitioners argue that the delay in implementing the central scheme in Delhi has deprived those who qualify for the benefits under the Centre’s urban beneficiary criteria. Their advocate, Siddhesh Shirish Kotwal, expressed concerns over the lack of healthcare coverage for these people.

The AAP government, on the other hand, accused the BJP of using this issue to score political points ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. “The petitioners are political figures from the principal Opposition party, and their sudden interest in the scheme’s implementation is driven by the approaching elections,” the Delhi government said.