A day after the BJP announced to hold a week-long State-wide campaign from September 30 in support of the Central Government’s Ayushman Bharat healthcare programme, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik flagged off a ‘Prachar Rath’ (campaign chariot) here to make people know about the State Government-run Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY).
The Rath would move in 10 districts of Ganjam, Khordha, Samblpur, Sundargarh, Kalahandi, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Koraput, Cuttack and Balangir and create awareness about benefits of the BSKY among people in the first phase. The Rath would go to the remaining 20 districts in the next phase.
“All information regarding the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana will be disseminated though the Rath. Besides, members of folk art associations of district, block and city levels will make people understand about benefits of the scheme though acting,” said Health and Family Welfare Minister Pratap Jena.
Informing that the BSKY was launched on August 15, the Minister said people irrespective caste, creed, religion, income and residential locations would get fee treatments at all hospitals from health sub-centres to District Headquarters Hospitals. As many as 70 lakh economically weak families would get health security upto Rs 5 lakh and, in case of women, the cover is upto Rs 7 lakh.
All families selected for Biju Krushak Kalyan Yojana, Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana and Odisha State Treatment Fund would be eligible for the BKSY, the Minister said.
“A new age has begun in the State’s health sector as a whopping 45 lakh beneficiaries have been provided free health services under the BSKY during the last month since August 15,” said Jena.
Among others, Health and Family Welfare Secretary Dr Pramod Kumar Meherda, NHM Direcor Shalini Pandit and State Medical Corporation MD Archana Patnaik were present.
It may be noted that the BJP has announced to hold a week-long campaign in the State to make people aware about the Ayushman Bharat programme. The party has a target to collect signatures of one crore people in support of the Central scheme.