PM Modi emphasized that the initiative would particularly benefit women and senior citizens
OdishaPlus Bureau
Odisha officially became the 34th state to participate in the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana on Monday, following the BJP’s assumption of power in the state seven months prior. Upon Odisha’s entry into the health insurance initiative, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his congratulations to the residents and criticized the former BJD administration for its failure to adopt the program. “It was indeed a travesty that the previous Government denied my sisters and brothers of Odisha the benefits of Ayushman Bharat. This scheme will ensure the highest-quality healthcare at affordable rates,” PM Modi stated on X.
He emphasized that the initiative would particularly benefit women and senior citizens. The Odisha government’s health and family welfare department formalized its participation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Health Authority (NHA) in New Delhi, marking the state’s commitment to the health assurance scheme. The agreement was executed in the presence of Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, and other esteemed guests.
The BJP-led central government had previously encouraged the former Odisha administration to participate in the Ayushman Bharat initiative; however, the BJD government declined, asserting that its medical insurance program, the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), was superior. In June 2024, the BJP achieved victory in Odisha, ending the BJD’s 24-year rule. The newly formed Majhi government has since replaced the BSKY with the Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY).
During a recent address, Nadda criticized the former BJD administration for denying the impoverished access to the national health scheme. He stated, “The darkness has lifted, and Odisha has embraced the Ayushman Bharat scheme following the establishment of a BJP government. The prior BJD administration dismissed the Centre’s proposal purely for political reasons”.
Nadda emphasized the importance of recognizing the distinction between darkness and light, describing the ‘grey area’ as particularly troublesome. “We must be unequivocal about the differences between day and night, light and darkness, and progress and stagnation. This is a momentous occasion. I cannot elaborate further, but it serves as a significant indication,” he remarked.
He noted that the Centre had repeatedly informed the BJD government that many residents of Odisha work in various regions of the country without access to health insurance.
“We advocate for cooperative federalism, yet the ‘ego’ of the previous administration obstructed progress. Today, we have reached a juncture where Odisha can be included. The day is not far off when Delhi will also be part of the Ayushman Bharat initiative,” Nadda concluded.
The assembly elections in Delhi, governed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), are scheduled for next month. Additionally, the Ayushman Bharat scheme has not been implemented in West Bengal, which is under the rule of the Trinamool Congress. During a recent gathering, Majhi remarked that this crucial initiative will significantly enhance the health status of approximately 86 percent of Odisha’s population, indicating a transformative shift in healthcare delivery. He asserted that although the Ayushman Bharat scheme was launched by the Centre in 2018, the previous government in Odisha refrained from its implementation due to political motivations.
Furthermore, the chief minister announced the establishment of Ayushman Arogya Mandir, a health center in every gram panchayat across the state. Each center will be staffed by a team consisting of an Auxiliary Nurse and Midwife (ANM), a yoga instructor, and a health worker. Plans are in place to extend this facility to urban areas, with budgetary allocations to support this initiative.
Majhi also stated that the state will implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme in conjunction with the GJAY program. This integrated scheme will issue a bilingual health card to beneficiaries, providing coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family annually, with an additional Rs 5 lakh for female members. It is estimated that around 1.03 crore families in Odisha will benefit from this combined scheme.
The implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme will ensure that more than 2.313 million individuals aged 70 and above are eligible for medical insurance, regardless of their financial circumstances, according to an official announcement. Beneficiaries will have access to cashless treatment at over 30,000 hospitals nationwide, a significant increase from the 900 hospitals available under the previous BSKY program. Additionally, the Odisha government has successfully integrated the e-KYC data of one crore residents with the central database for this initiative.
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