BJP to launch Ayushman Bharat scheme in Odisha on 11th. April

Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda is scheduled to launch the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana in Odisha on April 11, a senior state minister said here on Saturday.

The state’s previous BJD government did not implement the scheme, while the BJP, after coming to power in June 2024, decided to launch it in the state. Briefing reporters here this evening, state Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling said Nadda will launch the central scheme along with ‘Ayushman Vayo -Vandana Yojana’ and the state’s Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY) in presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in a special event at Cuttack.

However, it is of immense importance that the erstwhile Naveen Pattanaik led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) had introduced Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) in providing universal health coverage, with special emphasis on the health protection of vulnerable families and women. Its primary objective is to provide financial protection and improve access to healthcare services for the people of Odisha, particularly targeting economically disadvantaged families. The scheme provided cashless health coverage of Rs. 5,00,000 per annum per family and an additional ₹5,00,000 for women members of the family after exhaustion of the initial limit at empaneled private hospitals within and outside Odisha.

About 3% of the total packages were reserved for Government health institutions. About 10% of the packages were under the referral category, which was availed only on referral by the appropriate authority.

Meanwhile, 03 (Three) union ministers from Odisha – Jual Oram, Dharmendra Pradhan and Ashwini Vaishnaw would also attend the event, he said. The state’s 1405 primary healthcare centres (PHCs) will participate in the event through video conferencing.

The BJP government has decided to implement the GJAY replacing the existing Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) launched by the previous BJD government. Mahaling said nearly 3.50 crore people of 1.3 crore families in Odisha will benefit from the two schemes. The beneficiaries will get free cashless treatment in 29,000 registered private and government hospitals across the country. Earlier, the facility was available in only 900 hospitals, he said.

Similarly, he said, each beneficiary will get one card using which he/she can avail benefits of both schemes. Earlier, cards were provided to each family. In addition, the central scheme ‘Ayushman Vaya-Vandana Yojana’ will also be implemented in Odisha for all persons aged 70 years and above, irrespective of their economic status, the minister said.

Health coverage up to Rs 5 lakh will be provided to each family, while additional assistance up to Rs 5 lakhs will be provided to female beneficiaries of the family. If there is a beneficiary above the age of 70 in a family, the maximum health coverage of the family will rise to Rs 15 lakh, he said.

Last month, the state cabinet approved a budgetary allocation of Rs 27,019 crore for implementation of Ayushman Bharat and GJAY for a period of five years.

Team Maverick