A promise made, a promise fulfilled. Today, joy echoes across the state. Millions of our brothers and sisters, who work outside as migrant labourers, now wear the smiles of relief, their hearts filled with happiness and ecstasy.
Ayushman Bharat is being implemented in the state from today. I am delighted that the benefits of Ayushman Bharat Jan Arogya Yojana, Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana, Ayushman Vay Vandana are now available for the brothers and sisters of Odisha. Union health and family welfare minister Jagat Prasad Nadda will launch the scheme at the historic Baliyatra ground in Cuttack.
The scheme is dedicated to around 3.46 crore people from about 1.03 crore families under which they will get the benefit of free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh per annum while an additional free treatment facility of Rs 5 lakh has been provisioned for women members of the family. Under this scheme, each member of the beneficiary families will get health cards.
Ayushman Vay Vandana Yojana is designed for senior citizens aged 70 years and above. The scheme provides Rs 5 lakh free health cover irrespective of their socio-economic status. Women beneficiaries will get additional assistance of Rs 5 lakh per year.
The beneficiaries will now have access to free and quality treatment in over 29,000 government and private empanelled hospitals across India. It is a revolutionary step in the health sector of Odisha, which is a gift for the people by the double-engine government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre. On this occasion, I congratulate all the citizens of the state.
The BJD government did not implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme due to political vendetta. But after the formation of our government, we are committed to implement our ‘Sankalp Patra’ in letter and spirit. Proper implementation of promises is the commitment of the double-engine government.
Along with Nadda-ji, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah had also requested the previous government in the state to implement Ayushman Bharat. But the previous government did not pay heed to it, thereby depriving crores of poor people of quality and free treatment facility across the country. As a result, people of the state changed the government.
As a political activist, I along with my colleagues hit the streets on several occasions to implement Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Ayushman Bharat in Odisha. We had met the former chief minister, requesting him to implement the scheme.
Being implemented by the National Health Mission, PMJAY scheme aims to provide coverage of Rs 5 lakh annually to poor families. AB PM-JAY is the world’s largest publicly funded health assurance scheme which provides health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year to 55 crore individuals of 12.34 crore families.
In September 2024, in a significant move, the Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a major expansion of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. Under this decision, all senior citizens aged 70 and above will receive health coverage, regardless of their income.
The previous BJD government did not implement the scheme fearing the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
But, Ayushman Bharat was a necessity for Odisha. There is not a single state in the country where Odia brothers and sisters are not staying. Thousands of Odias migrate to different states in search of work. But due to lack of money, they were unable to go to hospitals. Now, they can access quality healthcare by showing Gopabandhu Jan Arogya card.
The scheme of the previous government was only confined to a limited hospitals in and outside the state. Now, the Ayushman Bharat scheme will be implemented in convergence with the state’s Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (G-JAY). As a result, not only those residing in the state, but also Odias staying outside will be benefited a lot.
The scheme covers up to three days of pre-hospitalisation and 15 days post-hospitalisation expenses such as diagnostics and medicine.
The flagship scheme of Prime Minister Modi could not be implemented in three states, including Odisha. Now, this scheme will be rolled out in Odisha from today.
I am confident that the love, affection and support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pave the way for the successful implementation of the flagship scheme in our state.
(The writer is the chief minister of Odisha)