Himcare Scheme Will Not Be Discontinued, Says CM; Government to Reform It, BJP Accused of Corruption

Shimla, August 19 — Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday made it clear in the Assembly that the Himcare scheme was launched to help the poor and common people of the state, but the previous BJP government turned it into a tool to benefit its close associates. He said his government has already spent ₹550 crore on the scheme and assured that no patient’s treatment would stop due to Himcare. “The scheme will not be scrapped; instead, it will be improved so that only genuine beneficiaries receive its benefits,” Sukhu said.

During Question Hour, BJP member Vinod Kumar alleged that the Himcare scheme had been shut down and patients were being denied benefits. Health Minister Dr. Dhani Ram Shandil clarified that the scheme was still operational but admitted that liabilities of more than ₹364.20 crore remained pending. He added that 25 private health institutions had been registered for dialysis treatment, though services in some private hospitals were temporarily suspended due to irregularities.

BJP legislators alleged that Himcare card holders were being denied free treatment at IGMC, Tanda, Ner Chowk, Chamba Medical College, and AIIMS Bilaspur. Dissatisfied with the minister’s reply, opposition members staged a walkout. In their absence, CM Sukhu accused the BJP of spreading misinformation and sensationalism. He claimed that during the BJP regime, private hospitals and pharmacies reaped undue benefits under Himcare. “In fact, at Ner Chowk Medical College, MRIs were not conducted in-house as there was no machine, but were outsourced to private hospitals and billed under Himcare,” Sukhu alleged.

The Chief Minister further said that his government is investing ₹3,000 crore to strengthen the health sector. Robotic surgery has already started at Chamiana Hospital and will soon be introduced at Tanda Medical College. State-of-the-art automated labs are being set up at IGMC, Chamiana, and Tanda, with ₹75 crore sanctioned for the project.

Sukhu assured the House that treatment under the Himcare scheme would continue without interruption and that the government would reform the scheme to make it more effective and transparent.