Bhubaneswar: Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Tuesday urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to roll out central government –sponsored Ayushman Bharat Yojana in Odisha.
The request from Pradhan came at a time when the country is struggling to check the spread of coronavirus. Pradhan had earlier requested the CM multiple times to roll out the health scheme in the state.
“In the wake of the global pandemic and the rising number of coronavirus cases, I request the CM to implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme in Odisha for the benefit of the people and to strengthen the fight against COVID-19,” Pradhan said, adding that a beneficiary of Ayushman Bharat scheme would be able to get himself tested for COVID-19 in any of the empanelled private hospital free of cost. In case of isolation of a suspected COVID-19 patient in a private hospital, the expenses would also be covered under the scheme.
The Union minister welcomed the Prime Minister’s decision to include treatment of coronavirus patients under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. “PM’s decision to cover COVID-19 under Ayushman Bharat is a welcome step. This will immensely benefit the poorest of the poor in the country and enable them undergo cashless treatment for coronavirus,” he said.
PNN
