Delhi Health Minister denies any wrongdoings in building Arogya Mandirs
New Delhi, May 28
Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh on Thursday dismissed media reports and speculative claims that alleged lapses in expenditure incurred on Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in Delhi, an official said.
"It is clarified that the development and operationalisation of these centres has been carried out strictly in accordance with the financial norms, technical guidelines and approved funding framework prescribed by the Government of India," said the Health Minister
He said that the suggestion that existing health facilities were merely cosmetically altered or that expenditures exceed approved norms is factually incorrect.
The Minister said that under the Union government's approved framework for Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, a fixed allocation model has been adopted for infrastructure strengthening and service enhancement.
"For each centre, Rs 25 lakh has been earmarked for infrastructure upgradation, while Rs1 lakh has been provided towards furniture, fixtures and essential functional requirements.
All works undertaken have been executed within these sanctioned parameters to improve service delivery, patient experience, diagnostic readiness and primary healthcare infrastructure.
During Financial Year 2025-26, a total of 370 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs were operationalised across Delhi under centrally sponsored healthcare schemes aimed at expanding accessible and preventive healthcare services.
The breakup of operational centres is: 244 Centres under PM-ABHIM (Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission) and 126 Centres under NHM (National Health Mission)
The Minister clarified that financial releases linked to these projects remain fully aligned with approved scheme provisions and utilisation norms. The actual funds released till date are: Rs 58.30 crore under PM-ABHIM and Rs 8.50 crore under NHM, taking the total Funds released: Re 66.80 crore.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally some clarity! I've been reading speculative media reports for weeks. The minister has given a clear breakdown per centre, including furniture allocation. This is how public health spending should be communicated—transparently.
Impressive operational numbers—244 under PM-ABHIM and 126 under NHM. But I'd love to see an independent audit to confirm these centres are actually functional and not just glorified signboards. Data transparency is key for taxpayer trust.
Total funds released: ₹66.80 crore. That's serious money! But sir, mere ko ek question hai—how many of these 370 centres are actually seeing patients daily? Building is one thing, providing quality healthcare is another. Delhi needs functional clinics, not just PM Modi's photo on a wall.
The minister's clarification seems detailed, but why did the allegations surface in media in the first place? In India, we need stronger mechanisms to prevent such controversies. Anyway, ₹1 lakh for furniture per centre is barely enough—maybe they should review the allocation model.
Good to see the breakdown: ₹58.30 cr from PM-ABHIM and ₹8.50 cr from NHM. That's ₹66.80 crore for 370 centres, so roughly ₹18 lakh per centre on average. But yaar, my local Arogya Mandir in East Delhi still looks half-finished. Need ground inspection, not just press releases.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.