Firing a fresh salvo at the Delhi government, the Centre has asked it to pay outstanding arrears of over Rs. 1,127 crore for medical benefits provided to employees in the national capital under the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948.

Warning the Aam Aadmi Party government that medical care facilities could be suspended for nearly 50 lakh workers in Delhi if the government failed to pay up, Union Labour and Employment Minister Bandaru Dattatreya sought Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s intervention to expedite the payment.

The Delhi government had agreed to share 1/8th of the expenditure towards medical care as per a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 1962, the Union Labour Minister pointed out.

“The Delhi government is complying with this provision, but not on a regular basis, owing to which the arrears payable by the Delhi government has accumulated to the tune of Rs. 1127,87,10,710 (Rs 1127.87 crore)… This has been taken up with your government previously also,” the Minister said in his letter sent on Friday.

When contacted, a Delhi government official said, “We haven’t received any communication from the Centre. Once we receive it, we will respond accordingly.”