Cheated patients who have been covered under Health Insurance scheme, Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Bima Yojna, may get a relief. The Government in the House on Wednesday expressed no objection to the probe being conducted for the irregularities done in treating patients whose insurance amount was fraudulently withdrawn by some private hospitals without treating them for the particular diseases.
JVM’s Pradeep Yadav raised the issue presenting his ‘Cut Motion’ and alleged that a probe ordered by previous Government was just eyewash. “The scheme was noble but officials and some operators of health centers sabotaged it by fraudulently extracting amount from patients’ health insurance cards given under the Health Insurance scheme. I demand an SIT probe into the matter,” said Yadav.
Replying to this labour and Employment Minister Raj Paliwar expressed his readiness. “We do not have nay objection in ordering probe. If the members of the House agree we are ready for initiating any kind of investigation,” said the Minister. Notably, his predecessor in the Hemant Soren Government KN Tripathi had also initiated investigation but the report submitted gave clean chit.
Cases of treating patients by adopting fraudulent means had come into light in good numbers in various parts of the State. Poor unorganised labourers covered under the scheme were treated for minor ailments but deducted amounts for costlier diagnosis.
The Minister also informed that on March 22 Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudi would come to Ranchi and the State would sign a MoU with the Center for the benefit of unorganised sector. Minimum wage for unorganised unskilled labourers has also been raised from Rs 178.68 to Rs 210 daily. “We are also coming with a new law for unorganised sector soon. Smart Cards would also be issued to 50 lakh beneficiaries. Pension amount to old aged and widows would be credited directly to beneficiaries’ bank account,” said Paliwar.
He also informed that 13 rojgar mela out of total 24 have been conducted and 9403 persons have been given jobs. Ranchi ITI would be upgraded as Model ITI with Center contributing Rs 700 crore and rest Rs 300 crore coming from the State Government.