Telangana Faces Double Crisis: Private Hospitals Set to Suspend Aarogyasri Services

Even as the Telangana government is grappling with a strike call from private colleges, the Telangana Aarogyasri Network Hospitals Association (TANHA) on Monday (September 15) announced an indefinite suspension of services under the Aarogyasri scheme.

The decision will take effect from midnight of September 16 (Tuesday). TANHA said the move was forced after repeated discussions with government officials over unpaid dues of ₹1,300 crore failed to break the deadlock.

Expressing regret for the inconvenience to the public, the association appealed to beneficiaries to understand the circumstances. Earlier this year, TANHA had staged a similar protest but withdrew it after the government assured bill clearance. Services were resumed after 10 days.

The fresh standoff by hospitals comes even as the state faces unrest in higher education. The Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Education Institutions (FATHI) on Monday called for a strike against the government’s failure to release ₹1,200 crore in fee reimbursements.

A panel led by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, along with IT Minister D Sridhar Babu, Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao, and senior education officials, held talks with FATHI representatives on Sunday (September 14). However, as discussions remained inconclusive, the association said a final call would be taken after the second round of talks on Monday.

With over 1,500 colleges expected to be hit by the strike, the Telangana government is under mounting pressure.

With two vital sectors—healthcare and education—locked in disputes over unpaid dues, the state government faces an urgent challenge. Unless swift resolutions are reached, both students and patients could bear the brunt of this financial deadlock.