Supreme Court stays order asking Delhi govt to sign MoU over Centre's PM-ABHIM scheme

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the Delhi High Court's order directing the Delhi government to sign an MoU with the central government to implement the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) scheme.

A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih issued a notice to the Union government on a plea filed by the Delhi government.

"How can the HC force me to sign an MoU with the central government," senior advocate A M Singhvi argued on behalf of the Delhi government.

The counsel submitted the High Court redefined the powers of the NCT government, by forcing it to sign the MoU with the central government, mandating the Government of India to give 60% capital expenditure, and the Delhi government 40 per cent.

The AAP government questioned the High Court's order of December 2024, directing the Centre's Ministry of health and Family Welfare to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by January 5 to implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme in the national capital. The court noted that its non-implementation, when 33 states and UTs have already implemented the scheme, would not be justified.

The Delhi government has maintained that the PM-JAY scheme would benefit only about 12-15 per cent of the city's population, limiting its impact. In contrast, the Delhi Arogya Kosh scheme offered by it has a "broader and more far-reaching effect".

Seven Delhi BJP MPs have filed a petition in the High Court seeking a direction for the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme in the national capital.