Latest news with #MahaveerJain
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Haryana IMA to suspend Ayushman Bharat services from August 7
The Haryana Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Wednesday announced suspension of treatment for Ayushman Bharat scheme beneficiaries in the State from August 7 after its meeting with the senior government officials remained inconclusive. The Haryana Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Wednesday announced suspension of treatment for Ayushman Bharat scheme In a letter to Chief Executive Officer of Ayushman Bharat (Haryana Health Protection Authority) on July 28, the Haryana IMA had brought up the issue of prolonged delay in payments to private hospitals for past several months, and the alleged inaction of the State government despite the matter having been raised several times and repeated assurances. Around 700 private hospitals are empanelled under the scheme and the number of beneficiaries is estimated to be around 1.8 crore. In a press statement on Wednesday late evening, the Haryana IMA said senior government officials, including Additional Chief Secretary Sudhir Rajpal, in a meeting with the office-bearers of the association apprised them that ₹245 crore budget was received and the distribution had started on 'First-In-First-Out' basis to the empanelled hospitals, but there was no commitment on the remaining dues. The officials said the demand for the supplementary budget would be placed in the upcoming Monsoon Session of the Assembly, but they could make commitment on the amount of the budget to be sought, said the press release. Similarly, the officials also refused to pay interest on the delayed payments as per the Memorandum of Understanding. The meeting was attended by Haryana IMA president Mahaveer Jain and former president Ajay Mahajan, among others. ' IMA Haryana held an online meeting with all the empanelled hospitals. After extensive discussions, everyone unanimously decided to suspend Ayushman services from the midnight tonight,' said the press statement. In a press statement on Tuesday, the State Health Agency had said that the Health and Family Welfare Department of Haryana had settled and paid the claims submitted by the empanelled hospitals till the first week of May. A total of ₹.2,900 crore was disbursed to the hospitals since the inception of the scheme. During the current financial year, an amount of ₹240.63 crore has been received from the State and Central governments till July 16.
India.com
7 days ago
- India.com
Girl from Jain community goes missing in Karnataka's Kalaburagi, love jihad suspected after police found...
Girl from Jain community goes missing in Karnataka's Kalaburagi, love jihad suspected after police found... A student has gone missing in Karnataka's Kalaburagi district, and now her family and a Hindu group are claiming it could be a case of 'love jihad'. The girl belongs to the Jain community and was studying at a private college. She disappeared on June 30 after going to give her exam but never came back home. Her parents have filed a missing complaint at Gulbarga University Police Station, and the police are investigating the case. During the initial investigation, the police found out that the girl had been chatting with a boy named Mashaq from Gobbara village. After finding out about their conversations, the girl's parents had stopped her from going to regular classes. They only allowed her to attend exams. Now, the police suspect that the girl might have run away with Mashaq. Mahaveer Jain, the father of the missing girl, said that even after eight days, the police have not taken any strong steps to find his daughter. 'They still haven't found her. I believe this is a case of 'love jihad'. My daughter's life is destroyed,' he said. Laxmikanth Savadi from the Hindu Jagruthi Vedike also showed anger over the situation. 'It's been eight days since she disappeared, and the police haven't acted. Mashaq, the main suspect, and two others are said to be targeting young girls from Hindu and other communities in the area. If no action is taken soon, we won't stay quiet,' he warned. The police have filed a missing person report and are looking into the case. This incident may cause serious debate and tension in the region. (With IANS inputs)
The Hindu
05-08-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Haryana IMA threatens to stop treatment for Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries due to delayed payments; State Health Agency responds
In the wake of the Haryana Indian Medical Association (IMA) deadline to stop treatment of Ayushman Bharat scheme beneficiaries in the State over outstanding dues running into several crores approaching in two days, the State Health Agency (SHA) on Tuesday said it has received the budget from the government and the payments to empanelled hospitals was initiated on a 'First-In-First-Out' basis. Haryana IMA president Mahaveer Jain, however, said there was no official communication from the government, and the private hospitals have decided to withdraw the services, adding that several other issues also remained unaddressed. Around 700 private hospitals are empanelled under the scheme in the State. In a letter to the Chief Executive Officer of Ayushman Bharat (Haryana Health Protection Authority) on July 28, the Haryana IMA had brought up the issue of delay in payments, and the alleged inaction of the State government despite the matter having been raised several times and repeated assurances. 'Time and again we have been apprising officials of irregular payments, at times delayed by 4-5 months. In our meeting with Chief Minister Nayab Saini on January 8, we were assured that all payments will be made in stipulated time of 15 days. We again had a high-level meeting with Chief Principal Secretary Rajesh Khullar on February 3. We were assured that all problems are being solved now and after March 10 all things will be fully streamlined. Unfortunately, none of these assurances has been fulfilled,' said the letter. It added that the payments were still delayed and irregular, unnecessary deductions were being made and the processing of cases was also delayed. Mr. Jain told The Hindu over phone that, besides the outstanding dues, several other issues remained unresolved such as heavy deductions in the bills raised by the private hospitals, pending payment of old bills and high-handedness of the government officials. 'With the government increasing the BPL limit and extending the scheme to those above 70 years, almost 60-70% population of the State is now covered under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. There are around 1.8 crore beneficiaries. While the annual bill raised by the private hospitals is around ₹2,000 crore, the government allocated only ₹700 crore this financial year,' he said. Former Haryana IMA president Ajay Mahajan said the payments have been erratic for the past two years and dues were cleared only after the private hospitals 'threatened' to stop the treatment under the scheme. 'The government must allocate separate budget for the scheme to ensure that it is run smoothly,' he added. In a press statement, the SHA said the State Health and Family Welfare Department had settled and paid the claims submitted by the empanelled hospitals till the first week of May. A total of ₹2,900 crore was disbursed to the hospitals since the inception of the scheme. During the current financial year, an amount of ₹240.63 crore has been received from the State and Central governments till July 16. Claims submitted by empanelled hospitals are processed by a team of 50 doctors through the NHA's online platform. The portal ensures a transparent and impartial claim allocation process by randomly assigning cases to processors. All deductions are made strictly as per NHA guidelines and only when adequate clinical justification or documentation is lacking. The SHA has also taken cognizance of the grievances raised by the hospitals regarding payment delays, claim rejections, and non-processing of claims.
India Today
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Abhishek Banerjee, Aparshakti, and Varun Sharma unite for Imtiaz Ali's Side Heroes
On the eve of Friendship Day, a new film featuring actors Abhishek Banerjee, Aparshakti Khurana and Varun Sharma has been announced. Titled 'Side Heroes,' the film is expected to be a heartfelt and hilarious ode to friendship. Directed by Ssanjay Tripaathy, 'Side Heroes', will be backed by filmmaker Imtiaz Ali and Mahaveer Jain. The film is written by Siddarth Sen and Pankaj plot of the film revolves around three childhood friends who reunite after a prolonged period of distance and silence. The film aims to explore themes of happiness, dreams, love, and life. It promises a humorous take on how the trio copes with rediscovering joy and the meaning of camaraderie between the lead actors is expected to be one of the film's highlights. This is the first time they will be sharing the screen. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mahaveer Jain Films (@mahaveerjainfilms) Producers Mahaveer Jain and Mrighdeep Singh Lamba expressed their excitement about the project. They said in an official statement, "Stories told from the heart and for the heart always resonate with us. 'Side Heroes' is a script that we instantly related to, the tale of three friends looking back at their lives during a reunion, told through the filter of humour and emotions. It's just the kind of film that excites all of us. We are looking forward to this journey with the amazingly talented cast and crew."'Side Heroes' is expected to go on floors soon. If this announcement is anything to go by, the film will release on Friendship Day next year, i.e. in 2026.- EndsMust Watch
India Today
31-07-2025
- Health
- India Today
650 Haryana hospitals threaten to withdraw from Ayushman Bharat over unpaid dues
In a major blow to healthcare access in Haryana, nearly 650 private hospitals empanelled under the Ayushman Bharat scheme have warned that they will cease providing treatment under the program from midnight of August 7 unless the state government clears pending dues amounting to over Rs 500 Indian Medical Association's (IMA) Haryana chapter has officially warned that unless payments due till July 15 are cleared and earlier commitments fulfilled, all empanelled hospitals will suspend Ayushman services from August that happens, the responsibility for any inconvenience to poor patients will lie solely with the Government of Haryana,' the IMA ISSUES PLAGUING THE SCHEME The IMA Haryana has cited a systemic breakdown in the scheme's administration. Since April, hospitals report receiving only 10–15 per cent of their billed amounts, placing immense financial strain on institutions, especially smaller grievances include:Over Rs 500 crore in pending dues, including old and unexplained deductions in claim bureaucratic delays and budget allocation—only Rs 800 crore of the Rs 2,000 crore Mahaveer Jain of IMA Haryana said, 'Ayushman cards were issued to around 5 lakh people in the state, with over 600 private hospitals participating. Beneficiaries receive free treatment, and hospitals are to be reimbursed by the government. However, since March, payments have stopped. We cannot operate under such financial pressure.'He added that despite promises made in earlier meetings with the government, including one in January that led to partial payment releases, the majority of dues remain HOSPITALS ON THE BRINK, PATIENTS WORRIEDDr Kuldeep Mangla, Secretary of IMA Panchkula, highlighted the challenges faced by smaller hospitals: 'We joined Ayushman Bharat out of respect for Modiji's vision. But our bills are delayed for up to six months, especially since March. There are arbitrary deductions, and our complaints are ignored. Unlike big hospitals, we don't have alternate sources of revenue. If this continues, many of us may be forced to shut down and look for other work.'The potential withdrawal has triggered anxiety among beneficiaries. Abhishek, a middle-class resident and Ayushman cardholder, said, 'Ayushman is a huge help. Without it, private treatment is impossible for families like ours.'Ankush, accompanying his wife Uma for treatment, added, 'Lakhs of families depend on this scheme. We will suffer if it stops.'Uma, who recently received treatment for fractured legs, said, 'I got free treatment only because of Ayushman. It must continue—poor people have no other option.'GOVERNMENT ASSURES ACTIONHaryana Health Minister Aarti Singh Rao responded to the crisis by stating, 'We are committed to settling the dues of all hospitals at the earliest. Instructions for the release of payments have already been issued.'advertisementDespite these assurances, hospitals remain skeptical, citing repeated delays and unmet promises made in meetings earlier this year with Chief Minister Nayab Aarti Sahu of IMA reiterated that while the scheme is vital, offering up to Rs 5 lakh in free treatment for low-income patients, the financial burden on hospitals is now unsustainable.'Private hospitals have to bear major operational costs, and without timely reimbursements, it's not possible to continue,' she just days left before the August 7 deadline, the fate of thousands of patients and hundreds of hospitals hangs in the balance.- Ends(With inputs from Surendra Singh from Rohtak)Must Watch
