BJP Sikkim raises strong objection to health dept’s PMJAY circular, cites violation of scheme guidelines

The Sikkim unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has voiced serious concern over a recent circular issued by the state Health Department regarding the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) – Ayushman Bharat Scheme. The party said the circular places an unfair restriction on the cost of general medicines and is not in line with the original guidelines of the central scheme.

According to the BJP, the circular limits general medicine expenses to only ₹1600 per day for patients above 70 years of age and for families holding Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) cards under the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category. BJP leaders say that this restriction is not mentioned anywhere in the official guidelines of the PMJAY scheme, which offers health coverage up to ₹5 lakh per year per eligible family.

The issue came to light after the BJP Namchi team received complaints from patients at the District Hospital in Namchi. Patients who were eligible under PMJAY reportedly had to pay for medicines from their own pocket when the cost exceeded ₹1600 per day. The party said this places a huge burden on poor and elderly citizens, many of whom rely entirely on government healthcare support.

Acting swiftly on the complaints, the BJP Namchi team visited the hospital and met with the District Chief Medical Officer (DCMO). During the meeting, the team confirmed that PMJAY patients were indeed being restricted to the daily medicine limit, and were being forced to cover additional costs themselves. The party believes that this defeats the core purpose of Ayushman Bharat, which was launched to ensure free and quality healthcare for the poor and vulnerable.

“This kind of restriction is not part of the PMJAY guidelines issued by the central government,” said a member of the BJP team. “It is unacceptable that patients are being denied their rightful benefits and are made to pay from their own pockets, especially when the scheme clearly allows coverage up to ₹5 lakh.”

The party is now preparing a detailed report on the matter, which it plans to submit to the central government. The goal, the BJP says, is to ensure that the Ayushman Bharat scheme is implemented correctly in Sikkim without any local alterations that go against its original intent.

In a press statement, BJP Media Incharge Niren Bhandari stated that the party views this circular as a direct obstruction to the vision of “Health for All” under PMJAY. He added that the BJP will continue to advocate for the rights of Sikkim’s people and ensure they receive all benefits promised under the central scheme.

The BJP has demanded that the Sikkim Health Department immediately withdraw the circular and issue fresh instructions that follow the original PMJAY rules. The party has also urged the government to hold those responsible for issuing the unauthorized restriction accountable.