Bhubaneswar: In a bid to mount pressure on the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government to implement Modi government’s Ayushman Bharat scheme, the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to launch a week-long campaign from September 30.
Speaking to reporters here Wednesday, state BJP president Basant Panda said, “The state government is depriving our poor people from getting free treatment at super specialty hospitals of other states by not implementing Ayushman Bharat scheme.”
Demanding implementation of the Central scheme and to create awareness among people about the move of state government, depriving them of better healthcare facility, the BJP will reach every village and household during its campaign, he mentioned.
Stating that his party is having 1,000 zones across the state, Panda said street corner meetings, mass awareness programmes and signature campaign would be conducted at booth level.
“We will definitely take legal recourse, if warranted, for the sake of people’s benefits,” he stated.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is not implementing the scheme to save his seat, he alleged, stating, “As a result, the Odia people visiting hospitals outside the state for better treatment will be deprived of the benefits of the health insurance scheme.”
Besides, Odia people including students and migrant labourers from the state staying in others states will also suffer due to the wrong decision of the BJD government, he further stated.
Rejecting the allegations of Panda, BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra said, “State government’s Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) is much better than the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Under BSKY, the state government assures healthcare benefits of Rs 7 lakh for each woman and Rs 5 lakh for male members.”
People are aware of the facts and know who is telling lie. BJP’s claims are baseless and factually wrong. They are making such statements to gain political mileage only, Patra added.