Kolkata: The Narendra Modi government’s decision to allow the state logo along with that of the Centre in PM-Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) cards won’t make a difference in Bengal.
The state had pulled out of the central health scheme in October 2019. “We are not among the participating states. We pulled out of it three years ago. Our own Swasthya Sathi scheme covers the entire population, which PM-JAY doesn’t. The Centre’s decision has no effect on our state,” said minister Chandrima Bhattacharya.
Calling Swasthya Sathi scheme “dhappa sathi (a hoax)”, Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar complained that the state government was not being able to foot the hospital bills of patients. He, instead, wanted the state government to allow people of Bengal to join the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had pulled out of Ayushman Bharat in October 2019, only months after joining it in 2018. Announcing the pullout decision, she had pointed out that the PM-JAY health card carried the “PM’s photo and a logo that looks like a lotus”.
Banerjee had said that health was a state subject and the Centre was trying to run a “parallel government” through the scheme. The Bengal government had deposited Rs 625 crore for the project in 2018, she added.
The Supreme Court had also sent notices to four states, namely Bengal, Delhi, Odisha and Telangana, asking them to submit their views on PM-JAY. The BJP had also made it an issue in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
The Bengal government, in its letter to the Ayushman Bharat CEO, explained the “pullout” decision way back in January 2019. “… The MoU of Jan Arogya Yojana signed between the Government of West Bengal and the Government of India clearly stipulated that since West Bengal already had a well-established scheme Swasthya Sathi, the state government would like to retain the name Swasthya Sathi in the scheme… To our surprise, the entitlement letter/card issued by your Ministry mentions the name of the scheme as PM-JAY, which is not only a violation of the stipulations of the said MoU but has created confusion at the grassroots level,” the then additional chief secretary Rajiva Sinha wrote.
Swasthya Sathi was introduced in 2016, two years before the Centre launched Ayushman Bharat. Both schemes have a Rs 5 lakh insurance cover. In addition, the state scheme provides insurance for parents of spouses as well. Also, patients get free diagnostics treatment and medicines in government hospitals. This includes Covid patients. Bhattacharya said the changes made by the Centre in the PM-JAY card was “immaterial” for Bengal. “How does it concern us? We have our own health scheme and will stick to that,” she said.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.
Start a Conversation
Post comment