Punjab’s tussle with the Union government over the branding of Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres, which the Aam Aadmi Party-led State government has renamed as ‘AAP clinics’, has become even costlier. Already, the Union government has withheld National Health Mission grants to the State to the tune of ₹621 crore; it has now said it will withhold more than ₹1,800 crore under a separate scheme to provide capital investment assistance to States unless Punjab is prepared to comply with its branding rules.
The Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centre scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme (CSS), meaning that it is funded by both Centre and State in a 60:40 ratio.
Punjab Chief Secretary Anurag Verma told The Hindu on Saturday that the Punjab government is pursuing the matter with the Union government, as these capex funds are completely unrelated to the Ayushman Bharat scheme.