Odisha will implement Ayushman scheme soon: CM

Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday virtually inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of three health projects in Odisha. He inaugurated the Central Drugs Testing Laboratory at Gothapatna here and a 50-bed critical care block at the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) in Bargarh. He also laid the foundation stone for the Central Research Institute in Yoga and Naturopathy at Jatni, on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling attended the inauguration of the Central Drugs Testing Laboratory, while local MPs and MLAs participated in the events at Jatni and Bargarh.

Addressing the gathering, Majhi said the Odisha government will implement Ayushman Bharat scheme soon and added that the left-out eligible beneficiaries will get the benefits of the scheme. The Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana will also continue in the State, he said.

The State government has allocated Rs 3,556 crore for health coverage schemes during this year’s budget (2024-25), the Chief Minister said. Majhi said the Health department received an allocation of Rs 21,000 crore to strengthen healthcare services in the State, which represents 32 per cent increase from the previous budget and constitutes 8 per cent of the total budget, underscoring the BJP government’s commitment to the health sector.

Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi said the Prime Minister laid the foundation of 100-bed Central Research Institute in Yoga and Naturopathy, to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore. The proposed institute will provide treatment for both indoor and outdoor patients, featuring a yoga hall and offering naturopathy classes, the MP added.

On Monday, Health Minister Mahaling had said that the Centre’s health coverage scheme Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana will be implemented in Odisha by the end of the current financial year.

The previous BJD government did not implement the Central scheme in Odisha. The BJD had launched its health assurance scheme, Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), which was renamed Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (G-JAY) by the BJP government.

Mahaling said around 3.5 crore out of 4.5 crore people in Odisha will be covered under Ayushman Bharat scheme. Besides, the process is on to identify beneficiaries of 70 years and above, he said.

“We will integrate the State’s Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana with the Central AB-PMJAY and issue a single card for the beneficiaries,” said Mahaling.

While about 950 healthcare units have been empanelled under the State-sponsored scheme, after the rollout of the Ayushman Bharat, the beneficiaries would be able to avail the facilities at nearly 27,000 hospitals across the country,

he said.