Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched Sunetra Yojana (free eye care scheme) here on Tuesday.
During ‘Ama Gaon Ama Vikas’ programme at the State Secretariat here, Naveen said all government hospitals and medical colleges across Odisha will now provide free eye care to all citizens of the state under the scheme.
It will be extended to all cataract patients, who will be operated on at all government hospitals without any paperwork and provided appropriate gasses free of cost, he said.
Besides, eye checkup will be done in schools every year under the scheme and students detected with vision problem provided spectacles at community health centre free of cost. Those detected with major eye problems can avail free treatment, the Chief Minister added.
Under this scheme, around Rs 680 crore will be spent in the first five years, the sources said.