Accusing the the AAP government in Punjab of "doing politics" on matters of health, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday said the Centre's Ayushman Bharat wellness centres cannot be converted to any other scheme by state government.
Earlier on February 21, the Union Health Ministry said that the Punjab government was converting the Centre's flagship Ayushman Bharat Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres into Mohalla Clinics, a pet project of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and warned of stopping the funds linked to the scheme for the state.
The Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centre (AB-HWC) is formulated with 60:40 contribution ratio by the Centre and state.
Addressing a rally in Patiala, Mandaviya said, "They are doing politics in this..they do politics in everything. There cannot be any politics in the matters of health." The rally is a part of the BJP's nationwide programmes on the completion of nine years of the Modi government.
"I read in a newspaper that the Punjab government is planning to convene a special Vidhan Sabha session claiming that central government was not giving Rs 800 crore grant under the National Health Mission," the Health Minister said.
"We haven't stopped any grant. They do politics in everything... We are saying there cannot be politics on health matters," he said, adding that the AAP government was spreading lies and misinformation on the issue.
Mandaviya said the Centre started 1.95 lakh health and wellness centres in the country, including in Punjab. Of the total expenses at the wellness centres, including the cost for manpower, infrastructure, free medicines, 60 per cent is borne by the Centre, he said.
He further said that the Centre has no issues with AAP's Mohalla Clinics, but the Punjab government put Mohalla Clinic boards on the AB-HWC centres, essentially stopping the central scheme.
"If they change the name of the scheme run by Centre and stop the scheme, then can anyone give grant for that scheme?" Mandaviya said.
The AAP will now call a two-day session asking why Centre has stopped the grant, he said.
"Let me make it clear that Modi ji and his government's only goal is Sewa, whereas their (AAP) only goal is self promotion," he said.
Mandaviya added that during the past nine years of the Narendra Modi government, several pro-people policies have been implemented in the country.
Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma, also addressing the rally, said the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government cannot lead the state to the path of development
"The only viable option that people of Punjab have right now is the development-centric BJP," he said.
BJP Punjab vice president Jai Inder Kaur said Mann has not been able to bring a single new project for Patiala, and only inaugurates projects already started by former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.
Kaur, also the daughter of Amarinder Singh, further accused the AAP government of betraying the women of the state by not fulfilling its promise of providing Rs 1,000 per month to every adult woman.
-With PTI Input
