Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday launched the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) Nabin Card for people living in villages across the state.
All people living in villages, except regular government employees and income taxpayers, will get this benefit. The distribution of this card has started from Wednesday and the beneficiaries will receive its benefits from May, official sources said.
The scheme is being implemented under the 5T initiative of the state government.
“All the 4.5 crore people of Odisha are my family. I have always been and always will be in your happiness and sorrow. Your happiness is my happiness,” the Chief Minster said while speaking on the occasion.
Stating that a healthy society is the basis of a prosperous nation and has a deep connection with health, the Chief Minister said, “I have always worked and will continue to work for the well-being of my family members.”
It may be noted here that more than one crore families of the state, around 80% of the state’s population, are getting cashless medical benefits under BSKY in the form of medical benefits up to Rs 10 lakh for women and medical benefits up to Rs 5 lakh for other family members. In this scheme, 130,000 beneficiaries are receiving treatment in 816 registered private hospitals every month. For this, the state government is spending more than Rs 270 crore from its funds.
The Chief Minister said that the BSKY Nabin Card will help cover more families in this scheme.
Beneficiaries with BSKY Nabin Card are entitled to get cashless treatment for identified critical diseases (Heart Diseases, Kidney Diseases, Liver diseases, Brain Stroke, Severe Head Injury, Brain Tumour, Burns Management, Nerve & Muscle Diseases and Cancer) at all empaneled hospitals both inside and outside Odisha. BSKY Nabin Card holders will get cashless coverage at empaneled private hospitals with effect from May 1, 2024.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Niranjan Pujari attended the programme in Rengali block of Sambalpur district and said that BSKY being implemented under the 5T initiative is a historic decision of the Chief Minister.
5T and Nabin Odisha Chairman VK Pandian said that the Chief Minister aims to provide health protection to everyone in the state. In the next phase, almost everyone in the urban areas will be included in the BSKY Nabin Card.
