PM Narendra Modi To Launch Expanded Health Scheme & 3 Projects For Odisha On Oct 29

Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Ayurvedic and Naturopathy Hospital, spread over 21 acres in Odisha’s Jatni, via video conferencing on October 29, coinciding with the National Ayurveda Day, Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling informed on Sunday.

He added that the PM will also inaugurated Central Drugs Testing Laboratory of eastern zone at Gothapatna and a critical healthcare unit in Bargarh.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will be present on these occasions.

These apart, he will roll out health coverage for all citizens aged 70 years and above irrespective of their income status under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), Mahaling said, adding that the beneficiaries will receive free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh at any of the AB PMJAY empanelled hospitals.

Notably, the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme was earlier not implemented in Odisha. “The PM is likely to launch the expanded scheme under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme for those aged 70 years and above. It will benefit an estimated six crore citizens in about 4.5 crore households,” PTI reported, citing sources.

However, those already availing benefits of other public health insurance schemes such as the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) and Ayushman Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) may either choose their existing scheme or opt for AB PM-JAY.

Official sources further stated that U-WIN portal developed for maintaining an electronic registry of routine immunisations, which is currently operational on a pilot basis, will also be launched by the Prime Minister on the same day.