Bhubaneswar: In a significant development in the delivery of healthcare services to the common man, Odisha today completed the roll out of the most ambitious healthcare initiative – the Biju Swasthya Kalyana Yojana Smart Health cards in all the thirty districts.
With the launch of the distribution of BSKY Smart Health Cards in Kendrapara and Jajpur districts by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday, the entire State has come under the coverage of the mega health assurance scheme that entitles the beneficiaries to free treatment at all government hospitals in the State and more than 200 empanelled private hospitals.
Addressing the people of Kendrapara and Jajpur, the Chief Minister said that the BSKY Smart health card would relieve the people from the burden of medical expenses. Even poor people can avail free treatment at the best hospitals in the country with this card, he said. More than 3.50 crore people of 96 lakh families will be benefited across the State from the scheme.
With today’s launch, as many as 11.5 lakh people in Kendrapara and 15.40 lakh people in Jajpur will get the BSKY Smart health cards, according to an official release. More than two lakh people of the state have already availed the benefits of this scheme and the government has spent Rs 278 crore for this since the launch of the BSKY Smart Health Cards.
Launched first from Malkangiri on 20th August this year, the distribution of the BSKY Smart Health Cards roll out has been completed in the whole of the state today. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today launched the distribution of the BSKY Smart Health Cards in Kendrapara and Jajpur through virtual mode.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said “the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana Smart Health Cards will free the common man from health expenditure. With a single card, a poor person of the state today can avail totally free healthcare facility from the best hospitals of the country.”
He also said that “With the operationalization of the BSKY Smart Health Cards in the state from September 2021, a new era has been ushered in the healthcare sector of the state. The worries of the poor people have gone and they now are free from financial and other worries arising due to health issues. When faced with health problems, people used to face many issues such as selling their land for money, discontinuing children’s education etc. Now, they can go to any any of the 200 big hospitals with the smart health card and avail best healthcare free of cost.”
Naveen said that each life is important for him and everyone, be it a farmer of rickshaw puller, all should live with dignity. This is the aim of all his welfare programs.
Odisha is the only state in the country which is bearing the health costs starting from testing to treatment during the Covid pandemic. He also interacted with the beneficiaries about the smart health cards, who in turn thanked the CM for this.
During the day, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of various developmental projects worth Rs 1500 crore in Kendrapara and Rs Rs 2000 crore in Jajpur districts. He also distributed loans of Rs 222 crore to Mission Shakti members. Naveen said, “There has been a long-standing demand for industrial development in Kendrapara,” he said adding that the district would be added to the country’s industrial map very soon.