A political controversy has surfaced after the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha has reportedly refused to implement Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Ayushman Bharat National Health Protection Mission in the state.
The new Centrally sponsored Ayushman Bharat -National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM) is offering the benefit cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year. The target beneficiaries of the proposed scheme will be more than 10 crore families belonging to poor and vulnerable population based on SECC database.
The Ayushman scheme, popularly known as Modicare, aims to open 1.5 lakh health and wellness centres by 2022.
However, the BJD in Odisha said the state has a better health scheme for its people under Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) where there will be more beneficiaries.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik recently announced a state-sponsored cashless, health assurance scheme “Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana” that will benefit 70 lakh families (about 3.5 crore) in Odisha.
Under the scheme, secondary and tertiary cashless healthcare assistance will be provided up to Rs 5 lakh per family per annum.
Anyone visiting any government health institution from district to sub-centre level will get all health services free of cost.
Besides, all pregnant women and infants admitted to government hospitals will get Rs. 500 each for meeting pick-up and drop expenses.
The scheme will come into effect from August 15.
Odisha Health Minister Pratap Jena, backing BSKY over Ayushman Bharat, told a local news channel: “Only 61 lakh families in Odisha will be benefitted by the central health scheme, while 9 lakh families will be left out. So, the state is now offering an all-encompassing scheme for our people so that none is deprived.”
“Also, we don’t know the exact date from which this central health scheme will come into effect,” he added.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who hails from Odisha, said the state government is politicizing the scheme.
“The Odisha government should not oppose the Ayushman Bharat scheme for mere political reasons. This will only harm poor people of the state,” Pradhan told reporters.