Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public gathering at the All-India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) on Ayurveda Day, where he apologized to elderly residents in Delhi and West Bengal who are unable to benefit from the Ayushman Bharat Yojana. This national health scheme, which provides up to Rs 5 lakh in health coverage per year for hospitalizations, has not been implemented in these two states due to political decisions by their respective governments.
PM Modi expressed his regret, saying, “I apologize to all the elderly people above 70 years of age in Delhi and West Bengal for being unable to serve you.” He stressed that political interests had created “walls” hindering the implementation of the scheme, which would otherwise provide critical health coverage for economically disadvantaged groups, including the elderly. According to the Prime Minister, denying such benefits for political reasons “is against humane values,” and he promised to continue gathering information on the well-being of affected people.
The Ayushman Bharat Yojana, introduced in 2018 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, aims to provide free health insurance coverage to low-income families, positioning India as a center for medical and wellness tourism. However, due to political differences, Delhi and West Bengal remain among the few states that have opted out of the scheme.