Telangana’s private hospitals have threatened to suspend the free health scheme, Aarogyashri services, from Tuesday over unpaid dues of Rs 1,300 crore incurred by the state government.
The Congress government, teetering at the brink of bankruptcy, has barely been able to avoid a total shutdown by the private colleges over unpaid fee reimbursement. The state government, led by A Revanth Reddy, has come under tremendous criticism from the BJP and the BRS.
Criticising the successive governments under the BRS and Congress, BJP leader and Union minister of state for home affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, said, “Both BRS and Congress turned Aarogyasri into a joke as they failed to clear over Rs 1200 crore dues. Now, private hospitals are refusing to admit patients, stating that without Aarogyashri repayments, they can’t treat patients.
“On the other hand, government hospitals don’t even have needles and medicines. For the poor, falling sick now means facing death.” He slammed the chief minister, saying, “Congress government has thousands of crores for Musi beautification, Fourth City, even World shows – but can’t find Rs 8,000 crore for poor students’ education.”
The BRS also lashed out at the Congress government. Former finance minister and BRS leader T Harish Rao listed out the development and welfare schemes that have been stopped due to the state’s financial condition and attacked chief minister Revanth Reddy, saying, “People from all sections are fed up and frustrated with your incompetent, deplorable governance. The people are ready to teach you a lesson.”
However, Congress MP Kiran Kumar Chamala retaliated, blaming the previous regime for the financial woes. He said the BRS had left the treasury empty without paying the dues of fee reimbursement and Aarogyashri.
“The debts incurred in the two terms are in full. The development was zero overall during the BRS regime, while the propaganda was full. The people gained nothing.” Said the Congress MP.
Last week, chief minister Revanth Reddy met the Union finance minister seeking a restructuring of the high-interest loans, since it is a huge burden on the state government.