Arvind Kejriwal said he discussed Ayushman Bharat with PM Modi in their recent meeting

The Centre Friday "invited" the Delhi government to join its Ayushman Bharat scheme to help the poor get benefits of the health protection programme.

Responding to supplementaries in the Lok Sabha during the Question Hour, Minister of State for Health Ashwini Chaubey said 17 hospitals in Delhi -- 12 in the private sector and five government-run -- are empanelled in the scheme.

"People from outside are getting treatment in Delhi. But people in Delhi are not able to avail the benefits," said the minister.

Manoj Tiwari, who is also Delhi BJP chief, raised the issue alleging that while the Delhi government has not joined the scheme, its Mohalla Clinics have failed to deliver due to corruption.

He asked the minister whether the Centre can intervene.

Mr Chaubey said, so far 33 states have signed agreements to be part of the scheme.

Under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY), the government aims to provide health protection cover to 50 crore poor people. So far, about 26 lakh poor patients have benefited from the scheme by availing treatment in hospitals.

At a recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said that he would examine the possibility of integrating the Centres Ayushman Bharat programme with the Delhi government's health scheme.

"Ayushman Bharat was briefly discussed. Informed Honble PM that Delhi Govts Delhi Health scheme is much bigger and wider in scope. However, assured him to examine if Ayushman Bharat scheme cud also be integrated into our scheme (sic)," the Delhi chief minister said in a series of tweets after meeting PM Modi.