The disclosure of serious irregularities and shortcomings in the report of Comptroller and Auditor General of India ie CAG in the implementation of NDA government’s ambitious Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana is a serious issue.
Due to this, questions are being raised on the significance of the scheme brought for the treatment of crores of people of the country.
At the same time, question marks are also being raised on the claim of zero tolerance against corruption of the Central Government.
In such a situation, there is a need of the hour to take strict action against those who rigged this health scheme.
In the year 2018, this ambitious public health scheme was brought with great fanfare and was said to be in public interest on a large scale.
The purpose of which was that in order to save the poor and weak sections of the country from the cost of expensive treatment, their medical expenses would be reduced.
In the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General, which was presented in the Parliament last week, it was told that about seven crore rupees were paid for the treatment of about three and a half thousand such alleged patients.
Those who were earlier shown dead in the data base of the scheme. No less shocking is the fact that seven and a half lakh beneficiaries were linked to a single mobile number under the scheme.
At the same time, more than one thousand two hundred beneficiaries were linked with the same fake Aadhaar number.
Obviously, the rigging was executed in a well-planned manner at many levels. Definitely, the institutions which were given the responsibility of error-free implementation and monitoring of this scheme, did not discharge their responsibilities by being alert and cautious.
Otherwise the level of rigging could not have been so widespread. After the CAG report was revealed in Parliament, the government informed the Lok Sabha that 210 hospitals in the country were removed from the panel of the scheme for non-compliance of guidelines issued by the National Health Authority (NHA) and for indulging in suspicious activities.
Along with this, the licenses of 188 other hospitals were suspended.
After the CAG report was revealed in Parliament, the government informed the Lok Sabha that 210 hospitals in the country were removed from the panel of the scheme for non-compliance of guidelines issued by the National Health Authority (NHA) and for indulging in suspicious activities.
Along with this, the licenses of 188 other hospitals were suspended.
Undoubtedly, the big irregularities in this public health scheme, a symbol of public trust, should be investigated on a large scale.
Apparently due to negligence and lapse in discharge of responsibilities at several levels, the miscreants succeeded to do irregularities in the scheme.
In whose monitoring the state health authorities would have also played a big role. By the way, the National Health Authority ie NHA was entrusted with the responsibility of detecting and preventing fraud and misuse under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.
But after the disclosure of the inquiry report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, it became clear that the National Health Authority has failed in the foolproof discharge of its obligations.
Undoubtedly, on the other hand, the CAG audit report is going to make the BJP-led NDA government uncomfortable as well, which had repeatedly reiterated its commitment to eliminate corruption.
It is unfortunate to what extent the values of life have declined in the society that no one is hesitating to sabotage the main welfare scheme brought for the weak and poor sections of the country.
Through these acts, these criminal elements are weakening such a scheme brought for the welfare of the poor, which provides health security cover to 55 crore people of the country.
Undoubtedly, there must have been a wide scale nexus to execute this scam. So the hospital staff, It is the dire need of the hour to conduct a thorough level probe to unearth the nexus between middlemen and government officials.
Along with this, all the shortcomings related to this scheme should be removed on priority basis.
Otherwise questions will be raised on the significance of the central government’s fight against corruption.
Especially in the political environment before the Lok Sabha elections, this can adversely affect the image of the government.
