Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s senior BJP leader Samir Mohanty has filed a PIL in Orissa High Court seeking direction to state government to implement Ayusman Bharat Yojana.
Mohanty, in his public interest litigation, has stated that the state government’s Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) has failed to meet the medical expenses of its beneficiaries.
Under the BSKY, each man is entitled to medical expenses of Rs 5 lakh and woman Rs 10 lakh. But in most cases, the expenditure towards treatment of critical diseases in the hospitals affiliated to the scheme far exceeds the insured amount. As a result, the poor and marginalised population face financial as well as healthcare problems, Mohanty said.
The BJP leader also alleged that the migrant labourers from Odisha are not unable to get health services under BSKY in other states. On the other hand, a beneficiary of Ayusman Bharat Yojana (ABY) can avail medical treatment anywhere in the country.
As the Central scheme covers more than 28,000 hospitals across the country, the migrant labourers from Odisha working in other states will benefit from free medical services under ABY. Besides, the state government can implement the Central scheme under its BSKY, Mohanty said.
Considering the health needs of the poor people, he appealed to the High Court to issue instruction to the state government to implement the ABY in the interest of larger section of the society.
