Chandigarh, Feb. 19 -- The Punjab government has told Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) that it would clear all the pending dues of private hospitals till December 2024 incurred under Ayushman Bharat scheme by March 21.

A government counsel told the HC bench of justice Kuldeep Tiwari, on instructions from the state's principle secretary (finance), that they will clear all the outstanding dues of private hospitals by March 21. However, the government sought liberty from the court to further raise claim regarding contribution to the Central government.

The submissions were made in a plea from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Punjab and others, pending from 2022, seeking the release of the outstanding dues/claims of the hospitals regi...