Jharsuguda Joins BSKY Smart Health Card Network; Naveen Announces Homestead Land For Hirakud Displaced

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today launched the distribution of Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana Smart Health Card distribution in Jharsuguda. With this, more than 1.15 lakh people of Jharsuguda district will get the benefits of BSKY Smart Health Cards that entitle for free treatment to all in government and private hospitals in the state and outside. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the Health Card in a program held virtually. With this 12 districts of the state have joined the BSKY Smart Health Card network.

In a major announcement, CM Naveen declared that 2000 families of Jharsuguda district who were displaced by the Hirakud Project will be provided homestead land by the government. On this occasion, Naveen also inaugurated and laid foundation stones of various developmental projects worth Rs 297 Crore. He inaugurated projects worth Rs 144 Crore, and laid the foundation stones of developmental works amounting to Rs 153 Crore. Two water treatment plants of Jharsuguda and Brajrajnagar are among the various projects inaugurated today by the Chief Minister. Naveen announced that the Government of Odisha is undertaking projects worth Rs 618 crore on drinking water projects in the district which will benefit all the villages and towns and by June 2022, more than 1.22 lakh people will get clean drinking water.

The Parbati Giri Mega Lift irrigation project has helped to irrigate more than one thousand hectares of farm land in the district. Along with this, four other mega lift irrigation projects are under construction with an estimated cost of Rs 186 crore rupees. These will help in providing irrigation in the district.
Naveen also said that the 100 beded Cardiology Hospital being built in Jharsuguda at a cost of Rs 102 crore is nearing completion and will help the people of Jharsuguda to avail best healthcare facilities.

The Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana Smart health cards will help more than 96 lakh families of Odisha to get free treatment at all Government and empanelled private hospitals of the state and more than 200 private hospitals outside the state. The scheme has helped the poor and downtrodden to receive best treatment free of cost. Naveen has once again reiterated that each life is precious for him be it a farmer, labourer or a rickshaw puller. Odisha is the only state in the country where during the corona pandemic, the government provided free treatment to all.

In the beginning of the program, Naveen paid tributes to freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai and said that his ideals, struggle and patriotism will keep us inspiring for generations. He also paid rich tributes to freedom fighters Bihari Ram Tanti, Laxminarayan Mishra, and Chintamani Pujari.

The program was attended by Health Minister Naba Das, Minister for Rural Development Susant Singh, Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari, Brajrajnagar MLA Kishore Mohanty among others.