Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) [India], March 30 : Leader of the Opposition in Himachal Pradesh Assembly Jairam Thakur accused the Congress-led state goverment of displaying a pattern of defamation and closure of schemes started under the previous BJP-led government, referring to the debate around the HIMCARE scheme as an example.
Speaking toon Sunday, Thakur said, "Ever since the Congress came to power in Himachal Pradesh, there has been a continuous sequence of defaming and shutting down the schemes of the BJP government. More than 2000 institutions have been closed. First, they tried to tarnish the HIMCARE scheme by levelling allegations against it, and then announced its closure."
Under the HIMCARE scheme, eligible families can access up to ₹5 lakh in annual, cashless treatment coverage at enlisted hospitals.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday rejected allegations made by the opposition over the Himcare scheme, asserting that no decision has been taken to shut it and citing 'alarming facts' revealed in an internal audit.
Speaking to the media in Shimla, Sukhu said, "There is no question of any scam in that regard, and just now the Hon'ble Speaker has clarified it before you. Secondly, it was being said that the scheme would be closed. We have not taken any decision to shut the scheme at present.
"He added that while there is no immediate plan to discontinue Himcare, the government is exploring ways to strengthen healthcare delivery in the future. "In the coming time, we may think about how to provide treatment facilities to around 75 lakh people of the state in a better way," he said.
Earlier during the monsoon session of the Himachal Assembly in August 2025, an uproar began during the Question Hour when BJP MLA Vinod Kumar raised the issue, alleging that under the Himcare scheme, people were not receiving treatment benefits in hospitals and were being forced to mortgage their mangalsutras to pay for medical expenses. "When questions are asked, the government says the scheme is running, but the reality in hospitals is completely different," he charged.
Responding to the allegations, Health Minister Dhaniram Shandil said that the scheme was burdened with pending liabilities of ₹364 crore and was riddled with large-scale irregularities, which the present government was trying to rectify. His reply, however, further angered the Opposition benches.
Amid loud sloganeering, BJP MLAs staged a walkout from the House.
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