5 states opted out of Ayushman Bharat: Here's why

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left social media in spilt with his comment about making tea from gutter fumes. At an event to mark World Biofuel Day, the PM claimed that he had once read about a tea seller in a small town who tapped into gas emanating from a gutter to make the beverage. Loosing on the fact, the PM unintentionally ended up inventing a new laughing gas for netizens.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 23 launched the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY)-Ayushman Bharat and termed it a "game-changer initiative to serve the poor".

However, the scheme, which aims to provide a coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family annually, will not cover five states -- Delhi, Kerala, Odisha, Punjab and Telangana. These states have opted out of the scheme.

Here's a look at why these five states have decided to opt out of the healthcare scheme:

Delhi

Delhi is not among the states and union territories that have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre to implement the healthcare programme.

Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convener Arvind Kejriwal has claimed the scheme is a public relations exercise which will prove to be another jumla (rhetoric).

Pl read - why Ayushman Bharat is another PR exercise and will prove another jumla https://t.co/amoXwoBLco

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) September 23, 2018

On September 23, AAP termed the scheme "another white elephant in the making" and alleged that it covers only six lakh out of 50 lakh families in Delhi.

It further claimed that the ‘Delhi model’ of healthcare is better than the Centre’s PMJAY.

Telangana

Telangana has also chosen not to implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme for the time being, citing a state scheme that covers around 80 lakh families.

"We already have the Aarogyasri scheme. As of now Telangana is not participating in the (central government's) scheme," official sources told news agency PTI.

Odisha

The Naveen Patnaik-led Odisha government has not joined Centre's healthcare scheme and has instead gone for the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana.

When asked about the reason for the state opting out of PM Modi's ambitious scheme, Patnaik said that Odisha's scheme is better than the Centre's as it covers an extra 50 lakh people and provides Rs 7 lakh to women as against Rs 5 lakh by the central programme.

Kerala

The CM Pinarayi Vijayan-led state has been particularly scathing in its criticism of Ayushman Bharat.

Kerala's Finance Minister Thomas Isaac, in a series of tweets, raised questions over the effective implementation of the scheme.

A prize for anyone who solves the riddle of Ayushmann Bharat! Subsidy ceiling for current RSBY scheme of ₹30000 benefit is ₹1250 . The subsidy for Modi scheme with benefit of ₹5 lak is ₹https://t.co/fDMCwhwvr7 is it possible to have such a jump in benefits for lower premium?

— Thomas Isaac (@drthomasisaac) September 18, 2018

Total claims under RSBY so far is 120 lakhs.Kerala accounts for 53 lakhs. Kerala with a population share of 3 per cent accounts for 42 per cent of the claims - a sad commentary on implementation . Ayushmann Bharat also is on the same track. Just for information Kerala baiters

— Thomas Isaac (@drthomasisaac) September 21, 2018

Punjab

The Amarinder Singh-led state government has also backed out from PMJAY citing some "reservations".

The Congress-governed state said that it was already running health insurance schemes and that they also had an issue with the 60:40 ratio of funding by the Centre.

According to a report in The Statesman, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister, Brahm Mohindra had said, "Punjab government is running some health insurance schemes. We are yet to study the convergence of existing schemes with this one. We also have issues about 60:40 ratio of funding by Centre."