As West Bengal finally came under the , with the signing of an MoU between the state and National Health Authority on Monday, Union Health Minister J P Nadda took potshots at the previous Mamata Banerjee-led government, stating that people of the state were deprived of the Centre’s health scheme because the former CM kept saying ‘hobe na’ (won’t happen).
The Centre has also resumed implementation of the MGNREGS in Bengal — four years after it was suspended in the state.
At an event held at Vigyan Bhavan in , where the MoU with regard to Ayushman Bharat was signed, Nadda said the TMC government stayed away from several other health programmes such as upgradation of Ayushman Arogya Mandir and HPV vaccination for girls.
Notably, Bengal was the only state that had not joined the Ayushman Bharat.
CM Suvendu Adhikari said at the event, “There were three states that refused. Who were they? One was Odisha where the people said ‘Ta Ta Bye Bye’ to the government in 2024. Second was Delhi where the government was shown the door (in 2025). The remaining state was West Bengal and even there the citizens ended the government that was against development.”
Nadda said: “We wanted to give money (for the schemes), I even asked Suvendu to convince Mamata didi, to hire community health officers, recruit ASHA workers, put in the logo under the National Health Mission. She again said ‘hobe na’.”
Meanwhile, after meeting Rural Development Minister , Adhikari said that Bengal will receive over Rs 700 crore under MGNREGS. The labour has been approved only for June keeping in mind the impending rollout of VB – G RAM G, the Centre’s new rural job scheme set to replace the UPA-era scheme on July 1.
Adhikari said West Bengal will receive around Rs 1,000 crore under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). Sources said that Centre has also allowed resumption of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin). However, the state will receive funds after it conducts a survey under the scheme.
The Ayushman Bharat scheme is expected to cover an estimated 1.43 crore households in Bengal — including 1.24 crore poorest households, 15.95 lakh persons aged 70 and above, and 3.06 lakh frontline health workers. The Centre has already released Rs 976 crore for the scheme, less than a month after the formation of the new government in the state.
CM Adhikari said there were nearly 1 crore migrant workers who travel to other states from Bengal, who will now be able to use their Ayushman card to get treatment wherever they are located.
West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Agarwal said these migrant workers have their Swasthya Sathi card but it is of no use in other states. “Now they will be able to avail benefits of the scheme in all these hospitals,” he said.
Adhikari said that the National Health Mission was not implemented in the state for the two preceding financial years. “They said ‘it is called Ayushman Arogya Mandir, why is there Mandir in the name? we will not implement it’. Now there is a double-engine sarkaar in the state, the first tranche of Rs 527 crore under NHM has already been released.”
