Govt announces Rs 1K for transportation cost of pregnant women

Bhubaneswar: Under attack for ambulance failing to reach expectant mothers due to poor road connectivity, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday announced to provide Rs 1,000 towards transportation cost to facilitate institutional delivery in remote and inaccessible areas of the State under Sammpurna scheme.

The state government will be spending over Rs 6 crore annually under the new scheme, which will cover 7,853 villages in 30 districts. More than 60,000 pregnant women are likely to benefit.

This announcement followed a review of National Health Mission (NHM) activities by the Chief Minister with all collectors and CDMOs through video conferencing.

Naveen also announced ASHA Kalyan Yojana and a dedicated Welfare Fund for the employees working under NHM. The scheme provides for assured activities to ensure a monthly incentives of Rs 1,000 to each ASHA, provision of one-time honorarium of Rs 10,000 to serving ASHA on attaining age of 60 years, provision of compensation of Rs 1 lakh for death, enhanced compensation for permanent disability up to Rs 1 lakh and support under ASHA education programme.

The NHM employees will be provided compensation up to Rs 6 lakh for death or permanent disability above 80 per cent and compensation up to Rs 2.5 lakh for partial disability. It includes reimbursement of the cost of medical expenses up to Rs 3 lakh in a year for the critical health condition.

To strengthen delivery of healthcare services, the chief minister also inaugurated four Mother and Child Health building, 300 sub-centres, and 14 primary health centre buildings during the meeting.