Harish throws resignation challenge to Nirmala Sitharaman over Ayushman Bharat

Toopran, September 2: Telangana Health Minister Harish Rao on Friday said that he is ready to tender resignation to his post if Telangana government did not join the Central government’s Ayushman Bharat scheme. “If not, are you ready to quit Finance Minister post,” he challenged Nirmala Sitharaman. Afterwards, he demanded her to tender an apology. 
 
Talking to reporters, Harish read out a reply by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on February 4, 2022 to a question asked by Telangana Congress MP N. Uttam Kumar Reddy in Lok Sabha. “Mandaviya mentioned that state of Telangana is implementing Ayushman Bharat from May 18, 2021,” he said.
 
Rao further stated that Aarogyasri scheme of the Telangana government is far better than Ayushman Bharat. “Only 26 lakh families in Telangana state are eligible for Ayushman Bharat whereas 90 lakh families are covered under Aarogyasri,” he compared and added that the Centre granted only Rs 150 crore towards Ayushman Bharat for the financial year 2021-22 while KCR government spent Rs 888 crore for Aarogyasri scheme.