Bhubaneswar, Jan 14 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday slammed the previous Naveen Patnaik government for not implementing the 'Ayushman Bharat' scheme in the state, alleging that the BJD dispensation had deprived people of benefits of the health insurance programme for its "interest".
Majhi arrived at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here this morning from New Delhi where he joined a programme on signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Odisha government and the Centre for implementation of the 'Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana' on Monday.
"Though the Centre implemented the 'Ayushman Bharat' scheme in 2018, the previous BJD government did not launch it in Odisha due to its personal interest," Majhi told reporters.
He also claimed that the BJP government implemented the scheme after the saffron party came to power in the state.
"The BJP, as the opposition party, had demanded implementation of the 'Ayushman Bharat' scheme. However, the then BJD government did not pay attention to our demand. Finally, the people ousted the BJD from power and elected us to form the ‘double engine’ government in Odisha. Our government has implemented the 'Ayushman Bharat' scheme," he said.
The term 'double engine' is often used by BJP leaders to refer to the party being in power at the Centre and in a state.
The scheme provides cashless cover of up to Rs 5 lakh to each eligible family per annum for listed secondary and tertiary care conditions.
"It was indeed a travesty that my sisters and brothers of Odisha were denied the benefits of Ayushman Bharat by the previous Government. This scheme will ensure the highest-quality healthcare at affordable rates," Prime Minister Narendra Modi had posted on X on Monday.
Majhi said the BJD government’s 'Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana' (BSKY) has been replaced by 'Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana' (GJAY), and his dispensation has converged it with the 'Ayushman Bharat' scheme.
The chief minister said that 1.3 crore families of Odisha will benefit from the 'Ayushman Bharat' scheme and they are now entitled to get health service in around 30,000 health facilities, instead of about 900 hospitals under the BSKY programme.
This will also benefit the people of Odisha, who are working outside the state, he said.
"Over 23 lakh people who are 70 years and above will get benefits of the 'Ayushman Bharat'," the chief minister said.
The implementation of the 'Ayushman Bharat' scheme in Odisha was one of the major promises made by the BJP in its election manifesto.
Majhi also announced that the state would set up 'Ayushman Arogya Mandir', a health centre, in each gram panchayat in the state where a team comprising an Auxiliary Nurse and Midwife (ANM), a yoga teacher and a health worker will work.
He added that the government will make budgetary provisions for these health centres.
With the convergence of the 'Ayushman Bharat' scheme and the GJAY programme, men will get health assurance of Rs 5 lakh and women Rs 10 lakh per annum, Majhi said.
The chief minister was received at the airport here by BJP leaders and workers for implementing the 'Ayushman Bharat' scheme.
The chief minister said the "government also launched cow induction, gift-milk and market support for Odisha State Cooperative Milk Producers' Federation (OMFED) initiatives of the National Dairy Development Board from Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday".
Majhi said that the state government has also rolled out a pension scheme for those who were jailed for opposing the state of emergency between 1975 and 1977.
Each beneficiary of the pension scheme will get Rs 20,000 per month, in addition to free of cost health treatments.
Majhi also extended his best wishes to the people of the state on the occasion of 'Makar Sankranti'.