Bhubaneswar: While several Union Ministers are routinely demanding implementation of Ayushman Bharat in Odisha, the State Government is not rolling out the Central scheme, rather it is expanding the scope and coverage of its own flagship health scheme – Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY). Responding to Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s demand for implementation of Ayushman Bharat in Odisha, Jajpur MLA and BJD organisational secretary Pranab Prakash Das highlighted the benefits of BSKY over the Central scheme.
In a series of tweets, the senior BJD leader has explained why the Odisha Government’s flagship is far better than the Ayushman Bharat.
Many welfare schemes of Odisha such as KALIA, Mamata, have been emulated by other states and the entire country. Hence, the revamped BSKY will also be the role model in the country. Odisha has been the first State in the country to have launched Smart Health Cards under the BSKY. The scheme will benefit 96 lakh families and 3.5 crore people in the State.
Countering Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s demand for implementation of Ayushman Bharat, Jajpur MLA said that the number of beneficiaries under the Central scheme is limited to 60 lakh only, while the BSKY beneficiaries are 96 lakh families, which is about one hundred percent.
The coverage of Ayushman Bharat is confined to the government hospitals with insurance cover up to 5 lakh. But, the BSKY provides treatment facilities at both government and private hospitals.
There is no special provision for women under the Ayushman Bharat. But the Odisha’s flagship scheme provides annual health coverage of Rs 10 lakh for women, said Pranab Prakash Das.
He further said that the Ayushman Bharat does not provide treatment facilities in major private hospitals, whereas the beneficiaries can treatment facilities at the leading private hospitals under the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana.
ଭାଇ @dpradhanbjp ଆୟୁଷ୍ମାନ ଭାରତ ନେବେ କି? ଆୟୁଷ୍ମାନ ଭାରତର ହିତାଧିକାରୀ ୬୦ ଲକ୍ଷରେ ସୀମିତ କିନ୍ତୁ #BSKY ର ହିତାଧିକାରୀ 96 ଲକ୍ଷ ପରିବାର, ଯାହା ପ୍ରାୟ ଶତ ପ୍ରତିଶତ। ଆୟୁଷ୍ମାନ ଭାରତର କଭରେଜ ସରକାରୀ ହସ୍ପିଟାଲ୍ ସମେତ ମାତ୍ର ₹୫ ଲକ୍ଷ, କିନ୍ତୁ #BSKY ଯୋଜନାରେ ସରକାରୀ ହସ୍ପିଟାଲ ରେ କୌଣସି ସୀମା ନାହିଁ।
— Pranab Prakash Das (@pranabpdas) August 20, 2021
Ayushman Bharat is an insurance scheme, but the BSKY is an assurance and assures free treatment, the BJD leader said.
ଆୟୁଷ୍ମାନ ଭାରତ ହେଉଛି ଏକ ଇନ୍ସୁରାନ୍ସ କିନ୍ତୁ #BSKY ହେଉଛି ଏସୁରାନ୍ସ, ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ସ୍ୱାସ୍ଥ୍ୟସେବାର ଭରସା। @dpradhanbjp ଭାଇ ଆମେ ମମତା ଯୋଜନା କଲୁ ଆପଣ କଲେ, ଆମେ କାଳିଆ ଯୋଜନା କଲୁ ଆପଣ କଲେ। ଆମେ #BSKY କରୁଛୁ, ମୁ ସୁନିଶ୍ଚିତ ଆପଣବି କରିବେ।
All the best— Pranab Prakash Das (@pranabpdas) August 20, 2021