Kangra, 02 August: In response to the recent raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) targeting alleged misuse of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, Fortis Hospital Kangra has clarified its position, denying any cash recovery from its owner’s residence. The hospital, which is one of the many private institutions being investigated, has confirmed that it has treated 22 patients under the scheme for which it received Rs 4.85 lakh from the government.
Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation Chairman and Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Board Vice Chairman Raghubir Singh Bali while talking to media stressed his commitment towards transparency in financial transactions and said that he uses cheques even for small payments. He said, “I make all payments through cheques to ensure complete transparency. Claims of cash recovery are baseless.”
Bali elaborated on the hospital’s participation in the Ayushman Bharat scheme and said that Fortis Hospital Kangra has been associated with the scheme since 2020. He said, “Since the launch of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, we have treated 22 patients and received Rs 4.85 lakh from the government.”
The ED probe, which began on July 31, targeted several private hospitals in Himachal Pradesh to uncover possible irregularities in the administration of the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Apart from Kangra, raids were also conducted in Una, Shimla, Mandi and Kullu districts in Himachal Pradesh. According to an agency official, the extensive operation, which involved raids at 19 locations in Delhi, Chandigarh, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, focused on alleged creation of fake Ayushman Bharat AB-PMJAY ID cards and violations of the scheme against several hospitals.
Bali expressed his full support for the investigation and welcomed the agency’s efforts to root out corruption. “If any hospital has made false claims to receive money from the government, it should be dealt with strictly as per the law and punished accordingly,” he said.
Bali highlighted the cooperation of his family and the hospital management during the searches with the investigating agency. He said that he was informed about the ED raid by his aunt when he was on a vacation with his family. Further, he clarified that Fortis Hospital is managed by its administrative team and he has no involvement in the management of the hospital.
Ayushman Bharat Yojana, a flagship health initiative of the Government of India, aims to provide affordable healthcare to millions of underprivileged citizens. The ongoing scrutiny seeks to ensure that the benefits of the scheme are reaching the intended beneficiaries and that any misuse is being addressed appropriately.
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