Delhi Government to Finalize AB-PMJAY MoU with Centre on April 10; Mohalla Buses Launching from April 1
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Synopsis
The Delhi government plans to sign a MoU with the Central government on April 10 to provide free health insurance under AB-PMJAY. Minister Pankaj Singh also announced the launch of Mohalla buses from April 1, aiming to enroll one lakh residents in the insurance scheme.
Key Takeaways
- MoU signing on April 10 for AB-PMJAY benefits.
- Mohalla buses to start operating from April 1.
- One lakh residents targeted for insurance enrollment.
- Rs 10 lakh coverage for private hospital treatments.
- Commitment to TB eradication and public transport improvements.
New Delhi, March 18 (NationPress) In a bid to fulfill its pledge of offering free health insurance, the Delhi government is set to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Central government on April 10, aimed at extending the benefits of AB-PMJAY to residents of the city, as announced by Minister Pankaj Singh on Tuesday.
Minister Singh, who also oversees transport, mentioned that new small electric buses, known as Mohalla buses, will commence operations starting April 1.
The government aims to register one lakh residents for the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) insurance plan within the next month, providing coverage of up to Rs 10 lakh for treatments at private hospitals.
Earlier, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta reaffirmed her administration's dedication to combating TB in the city.
“The Delhi government is committed to working alongside the central government in the TB-free India initiative launched under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji. We vow to fulfill our responsibilities with complete devotion to eradicate TB from our country,” CM Gupta stated in a post on X.
Regarding the new bus introduction, Pankaj Singh announced that around 2,000 new buses—both 12 metre and 9 metre—will be added to the DTC fleet in the initial week of April.
He highlighted that 80 percent of the work to establish charging stations for these new buses is already completed.
Singh mentioned he has conducted multiple discussions with vendors to resolve issues concerning the enhancement of the 'Make in India' aspect in the tender process.
He noted that old buses are being retired, with 3,000 DTC buses and 2,000 cluster buses set for decommissioning this year.
Bus retirements will occur in monthly batches, with many new electric buses joining the fleet as this process takes place each month,” he added.
Reassuring the public, Minister Singh confirmed that women will maintain their privilege of free travel on public transport buses and expressed his commitment to turning around the financially struggling Delhi Transport Corporation to ensure profitability.
