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Ahead of PM Modi’s Ayushman Bharat programme, Odisha CM launches own healthcare plan
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik expects the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) to be a game changer before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, and has sent a personalised card to each of the expected 70 lakh beneficiaries.
A month-and-a-half before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Ayushman Bharat programme is set to be launched, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday kick-started the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), a health coverage scheme, that, the government said, would assist over 70 lakh families in the state.
“Healthy Odisha, Happy Odisha. Let us continue our endeavour to build a prosperous and strong state,” the CM said, while launching the scheme at Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar.
“BSKY is a historic initiative and will have a catalytic impact on the state’s health scenario. The scheme will benefit more than 70% of our population. In addition, the state’s entire population will be covered under free health services,” the CM said.
Patnaik expects the BSKY to be a game changer before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, and has sent a personalised card to each of the expected 70 lakh beneficiaries. Odisha has refused to implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme, saying that the number of beneficiaries would be at least nine lakh less than the state’s scheme.
The health department officials said, under the scheme, secondary and tertiary cashless healthcare assistance will be provided up to ~5 lakh per family, annually. For women, the health cover will be Rs 7 lakh per annum.
