AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat government on Monday admitted in the assembly that 55 hospitals were suspended or blacklisted under the PM-JAY Ayushman Bharat scheme for non-compliance, with 32 axed in 2023 and 23 in 2024.
Responding to a query from Leader of Opposition Amit Chavda, the government revealed that 19 hospitals have since regained approval to restart operations after facing action.
Congress Leader of Opposition Amit Chavda on Monday grilled the Gujarat government over the number of hospitals suspended or blacklisted under the PM-JAY Ayushman Bharat Yojana for operating illegally. In a sharp response, the government admitted that 55 hospitals faced action as of December 31, 2024—with 32 shut down in 2023 and 23 in 2024 over compliance violations.
Despite the crackdown, the government has now cleared 19 hospitals to resume operations. In its response, officials confirmed that these hospitals, previously suspended or blacklisted, have been allowed to reopen.
Back in 2024, the government shut down Shri Jalaram Children's Hospital in Aravalli district on December 5, citing violations of fire safety, biomedical waste management, and scheme guidelines. However, just 25 days later, authorities lifted the suspension, stating that compliance had been restored.
Similarly, in 2023, 18 other hospitals received the green light to restart. The government justified their reinstatement by asserting that they had rectified past violations and were now adhering to the regulations.
In a significant disclosure, the government admitted in the Assembly—while responding to Congress MLA Shailesh Parmar—that it has been reviewing underperforming officials in the Health and Family Welfare Department over the past two years. This scrutiny, officials revealed, led to compulsory retirements.
In 2024 alone, the government assessed 82 Class-1 officers, 657 Class-2 officers, and 104 Class-3 officers—totaling 843 cases. As a result, one Public Health Officer (Class-1) was compulsorily retired, while seven Medical Officers (Class-1) also faced compulsorily retirement. Meanwhile, three Head Clerks (Class-3) and one Senior Clerk (Class-3) were compulsorily retired in 2024, signalling a strict stance on efficiency and accountability.