Chandigarh, Jun 17 (PTI) Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday hit back at the AAP government in Punjab for accusing the Centre of withholding funds under the National Health Mission and alleged the Bhagwant Mann dispensation was playing politics over the matter.
He also alleged the state government was converting Ayushman Bharat wellness centres into mohalla clinics.
Addressing a rally in Sangrur district, he said the Narendra Modi government has set up health and wellness centres for providing quality healthcare services to people. The Centre bears 60 per cent salary of the staffers at the centres and also 60 per cent cost of construction and medicines.
“The chief minister’s photo was put up at health and wellness centres and was named Mohalla clinic,” Mandaviya told the rally.
“Then I had no choice. I said we paid for health wellness centres and you (the AAP government) stopped this scheme and converted it into Mohalla clinics. Then there is no meaning of giving the grant when the scheme is stopped,” the union minister said.
The rally was part of the BJP’s ‘Maha Jan Sampark’ programme to mark the completion of nine-year of the Narendra Modi government.
The AAP government in Punjab has been at loggerheads with the Centre over the alleged withholding of funds under the National Health Mission. The Union Health Ministry has accused the Punjab government of converting Ayushman Bharat – Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWC) into ‘Mohalla Clinics’, a pet project of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and had warned of stopping the funds for the scheme.
AB-HWC is formulated with a 60:40 contribution ratio by the Centre and the state.
Targeting the AAP, Mandaviya said, “You completely changed the name of the scheme and converted it into Mohalla clinics. There is no point in giving the grant.” “To mislead the people of Punjab again, they (the AAP government) have called a two-day special session. I was reading in the media that the AAP was saying that the Government of India has stopped our grant.” “You run as many schemes as you want. I have no problem. But you stopped the Government of India’s scheme and then say our grant was withheld and play politics in the name of stopping the grant,” Mandaviya said.
The AAP government has called a two-day special session of the Assembly on June 19 and 20 where the issue of pending Rural Development Fee (RDF) and “withholding” of funds under the National Health Mission may be raised. The Punjab government has been accusing the BJP-led Centre of not releasing around Rs 3,500 crore of RDF. PTI CHS VSD NSD NSD
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