Kalia alleged a major discrepancy in the financing model.
BJP Calls AAP’s INR 10 Lakh Health Scheme ‘Fiscally Impossible’
The Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sharply criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s INR 10 lakh health insurance scheme, calling it fiscally impossible ahead of its scheduled January 15 launch. BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia, a former state minister, told the media that the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna (MMSY), which promises INR 10 lakh in cashless medical cover per family, is financially unviable given Punjab’s stressed finances.
Kalia alleged a major discrepancy in the financing model. He asserted that the state is paying only a nominal premium of INR 1 lakh to United India Insurance Company, as per BJP’s claim, while leaving the bulk of the potential claim liability on the state health agency, meaning the state exchequer would ultimately bear the cost.
According to the BJP, the MMSY is meant to cover around 65 lakh families in a population of about 3 crore, but the scheme’s funding does not match its promises. The BJP pointed to Punjab’s severe fiscal crisis, claiming total public debt exceeds INR 4 lakh crore and per capita debt stands at INR 123,274, as stated by party leaders, while the state’s share of GST revenue has dropped by over 40 per cent.
According to BJP estimates, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited owes more than INR 10,500 crore in unpaid dues. Kalia questioned how the government can deliver high-end medical benefits while struggling to fund pensions and basic social obligations, branding the policy a “bundle of hollow promises and false claims”.
The scheme has been projected by the AAP government as a flagship healthcare promise, but details of its funding model have drawn criticism from opposition parties. The AAP government has not formally responded to these allegations, as per available information, but continues to market the MMSY as a transformative healthcare initiative for Punjab.
Source: Times of India
