Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Oct 28: Union Minister of State in PMO with Independent chare of North Eastern States, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that over 7000 beneficiaries were treated under Ayushman Bharat scheme post snapping of Internet Services in Jammu and Kashmir and over 68,000 golden cards were generated in Srinagar district alone since the scheme was launched 10 years back in the country.
“Although availing Ayushman Bharat scheme benefit is an online process but despite snapped internet facility in Jammu and Kashmir after August 5, more than 7,000 cases of expenditure disposal were treated offline either manually or by officials of the Ayushman Bharat,” Dr Singh said while talking to the beneficiaries from parts of Udhampur, Doda, Kishtwar, Kathua and Reasi at an event organised on ‘Diwali Milan’ at his official residence here, today.
While divulging the salient features of the scheme, Dr Jitendra Singh said no where in the world including America and US such scheme has been introduced for the benefit of the poor people suffering from fatal diseases and credit goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who soon after coming to power in 2014 launched many pro people schemes for the benefit of the poor and down-trodden. The Ayushman Bhart is one among them under which even after a patient is detected for cancer, or has suffered a heart attack or is suffering from any other fatal disease can get himself covered under the scheme and claim the insurance cover in full from the concerned insurance company. There is no such scheme any where in the world , he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that J&K is the first State in the country where the highest number of people were registered under Ayushman Bharat Scheme.
Appealing to the beneficiaries to spread more awareness about the scheme so that more people can avail this facility, Dr Jitendra Singh said State of Jammu and Kashmir, which will come into existence as Union Territory after October 31, has topped the chart of registration of beneficiaries under Ayushman scheme.
Mobile internet was snapped in Jammu and Kashmir on August 5 after the Government of India abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated the State into two Union Territories but it did not affect the implementation of the scheme, he said.
He further added that over 60 per cent beneficiaries were registered across the State from December 1, 2018, when the scheme was introduced till date so far and added, “around Rs 22.5 crore have been sanctioned under this scheme to various service providers out of which Rs 15.58 crore have already been paid to the hospitals by the Insurance company.”
‘Besides, Government hospitals, 30 private and 126 public hospitals have also started giving benefits to the people having ‘Golden Card’,’ said the Union Minister.
He said “Narendra Modi Government never benefitted anyone for ‘vote-bank’ or on party politics or religion basis but Prime Minister is working for the masses and people living in every nook and corner of the country irrespective of their religion , region and party affiliations.”
He said those who have not taken benefit under the scheme so far will be enlisted after the new arrangement is in place in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said like the LPG give up Yojna under which the rich people who were taking up benefit of the scheme surrendered it so that the right of poor is not snatched, the rich and well to do people should avoid enrolling themselves under the scheme so that the poor and deserving are benefitted.
Dr Jitendra said Narendra Modi Government is committed to the slogan of former Jana Sangh president, Deen Dayal Upadhayay that last man in the last queue should be benefitted and Modi Government has launched all schemes keeping this in view.
Earlier CEO/Director of Ayushman Bharat Scheme, J&K, Bhupinder Kumar said that since the introduction of this scheme, more than 37,000 people have availed the benefits across the state and more than 11 lakh people have been issued the ‘Golden Card’ (e-Cards).
“With revised rates, more hospitals including the corporate, will also be providing treatment to the beneficiaries under Ayushman Bharat scheme,” he added and said that more than 37,000 hospitalisations were done for the treatment of serious illness across the State.
“About 59 per cent of the hospitalisations happened in private hospitals and as on date, 156 hospitals are empanelled in the State of which 126 (81 percent) are public hospitals and 30 (19 percent) are private,” said the CEO
As per official figures, till October 15, 2019, there were total 3,55,582 beneficiaries in Jammu district out of which 1,39,472 were registered so far, 39.42 per cent treated and 1,23,841 total Golden Cards were generated.
Some of the beneficiaries speaking on the occasion expressed satisfaction over introduction of Ayushman Bharat scheme and shared their experiences.
While complimenting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the beneficiaries also appealed to Dr Jitendra Singh to get more facilities introduced in the hospitals treating them under Ayushman Bharat. They also demanded posting of doctors with specialization in treating of some chronic diseases especially in rural hospitals.
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