Haryana Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Rajesh Nagar ordered the suspension of Bhiwani Health Department’s Ayushman Bharat scheme nodal officer after a patient complained that officials pressured him to settle a medical negligence case against a private hospital empanelled under the scheme.
Nagar heard grievances at the monthly District Public Relations and Grievance Redressal Committee meeting in Bhiwani today.
The minister also set up a committee comprising the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Civil Surgeon, and two women non-official members of the grievance committee to investigate the matter. He ordered the cancellation of the hospital’s empanelment under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
Several complaints of malpractices in the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme have surfaced across the state. In Hisar, the Chief Minister’s Flying Squad detected two cases of misuse after raiding private hospitals following patient complaints. The hospitals were found charging patients’ money on one hand while generating bills under the Ayushman Bharat scheme to claim reimbursement from the government.
Meanwhile, the minister directed Public Health Engineering Department officials to ensure an adequate supply of clean drinking water to residents and to address water-related complaints on priority.
Of the 14 complaints placed before the committee, nine were resolved on the spot and five were kept pending until the next meeting.
Nagar said the government is committed to providing basic services to residents. He said no shortage would be allowed in the distribution of food grains under the public distribution system and directed that ration distribution be completed by the 10th of every month. He added that the department acts seriously on complaints and takes strict action against those found guilty. The government aims to provide basic facilities transparently and ensure scheme benefits reach the last person in the queue, he said.
