Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the Delhi and West Bengal governments on Tuesday for not implementing the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, calling it a “political decision” that prevents elderly citizens in these states from receiving free medical treatment under the program.

PM Modi expressed disappointment that senior citizens aged 70 and above in Delhi and West Bengal remain excluded due to “political obstacles,” labeling the state governments as “selfish” and “indifferent to humanity.”

During his address, PM Modi announced the extension of Ayushman Bharat to cover all citizens aged 70 and above across India. He highlighted his government’s broader healthcare initiatives, including the establishment of 14,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras, which offer affordable medicines, potentially saving citizens up to Rs 30,000 crore.

He also emphasized the impact of Mission Indradhanush, a key vaccination program protecting pregnant women and newborns from severe diseases, and the opening of over 2 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs for early diagnosis of conditions like cancer and other critical illnesses.

In addition, PM Modi launched the U-WIN platform, an advanced digital health interface inspired by the success of COWIN and UPI, aimed at enhancing healthcare accessibility. He noted ongoing efforts to expand medical infrastructure, with new AIIMS institutions, medical colleges, and ESIC hospitals being set up across India, including in Meerut and Haryana.

He also remarked that India now boasts 1.08 lakh medical seats, with plans to add 75,000 more to meet the growing demand in healthcare.