New Delhi [India], April 5 (ANI): Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday hailed the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in Delhi as a 'historic step', marking the national capital's formal inclusion as the 35th state and Union Territory under the Centre's flagship healthcare programme.

Speaking to the media, Delhi CM Gupta said the move would finally extend the benefits of the scheme to Delhi's residents.

'Hearty congratulations to the people of Delhi. Today, the Ayushman scheme has been implemented in Delhi, and the people of Delhi are finally getting what they are entitled to. I thank the central government and PM Narendra Modi for this,' she said.

Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh alleged that the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of delaying the scheme's rollout. He announced that the registration process for beneficiaries in Delhi would begin on April 10.

'The last government didn't allow this scheme to be implemented in Delhi... From 10 April, the registration process will start for this scheme,' he told persons.

'An MoU for PM ABHIM will happen soon... The infrastructure that was ruined in the last 10 years needs to be corrected, and that's what we are doing... Maholla Clinics are in shambles. We are enquiring about all of them,' the Delhi Minister added.

Delhi became the 35th State and Union Territory to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) after the National Health Authority (NHA) of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Delhi government on Saturday.

The agreement was signed today between L.S. Changsan, additional Secretary, MoHFW and Chief Executive Officer, National Health Authority (NHA), and Dr S.B. Deepak Kumar, Secretary (Health and Family Welfare), Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of NCT Delhi.

Addressing the gathering, Nadda stated, 'It is a moment of pride that the world's largest health coverage scheme, which has been in place across 34 states and UTs in the country, is finally getting implemented in the national capital as well.' He stated that this scheme is built on trust; hence, it is termed as an 'assurance' scheme, not an insurance scheme.

Nadda noted that on the basis of the economic caste census, 50 crore people were brought under this scheme, making it the first such scheme to do so. He also informed that 36 lakh frontline health workers, including ASHAs and Anganwadi workers, were brought under this scheme and the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Bima Yojna to cover both health and life insurance. This, he stated, was done to bring these frontline workers under the ambit of comprehensive social security coverage. (ANI)