Andhra’s New Plot To Lure People With Health Cards In Odisha’s Koraput

Koraput: Neighbouring Andhra Pradesh seems to be leaving no stone unturned to lure people of Kotia and several other villages in Odisha’s Koraput district. Pushing its agenda of territorial intrusion, it has now allegedly hatched a new conspiracy to attract people by distributing “Arogya Raskha Cards’ among people to look after their helthcare, sources said.

Arogya Raskha Card is a health insurance scheme targeted to counter the Odisha government’s Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY).

Sources said, over 100 families in Kotia have been included under the Andhra-sponsored health insurance scheme.

Such a plot is being made at a time when the state government is going to celebrate Utkal Divas on April 1, to commemorate formation of a separate province and to ensure its territorial integrity. It seems, the Andhra government is giving a gift to the people of Kotia on Utkal Divas.

On the other hand, Odisha government has distributed over 12 lakh smart cards under Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana in the district. People are getting its benefits.

The Andhra has reportedly distributed health smart cards, under which 1959 types of diseases are covered, to people in villages like Kotia, Talaghar, Amphabadi, Sambai, Ralegada, Nuagaon and Sunki under Pottangi block; Chatua, Gopur, Pundaruguda, Panthalunga, Jalapur, Khnbar under Nandapur block; Borigi, Langalabeda and Talagumandi under Narayanpatana block; Almanda, Pedaloda, Kaploda, Hatiguda under Badhugaon block and in some villages under Lamtaput block.

However, the administration has allegedly failed to check such activities.

This apart, the AP is reportedly building a water tank at Tumba village under tribal-dominated Patrapur block of Ganjam.

Various outfits have opposed such intrusive activities of Andhra Pradesh, which stand in contrast with the Odisha government’s claim that no information is there about any intrusion by Andhra Pradesh in the disputed Kotia region.

Revenue Minister Pramilla Mallick had on February 23, 2023 stated in the state Assembly that there was no information with the district administration regarding the distribution of pension and ration cards in Kotia by the Andhra Pradesh government in 2021.