Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced smart health cards for 3.5 crore people on Independence Day, under the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana during Independence Day celebrations in the capital city of Bhubaneswar. The BSKY, the flagship health programme of the state, focuses mainly on providing health services to the economically vulnerable section of the society. Odisha is the first state in the country to provide such smart health cards to its citizens, which brings a strong confidence in the present government.
The CM said, “All the people of entire Odisha are my family. The news of people selling land, jewellery or stop sending children to school to manage their treatment costs pains me. Therefore I decided that this type of distress must go. People should get hassle free quality treatment at best available health care facilities. So Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana was redesigned to provide Smart Health Cards to people that will work as debit cards for a certain amount. It will go a long way in strengthening the health security of people of Odisha.”
The main features of this new provision are:
* 3.5 crore people belonging to 96 lakh families will get this smart health card.
* Odisha is the first state in the country to provide such smart health cards.
* This card will be given to all the beneficiaries in a phased manner.
* The beneficiaries of the national and State Food Security Schemes, Annapurna and Antodaya beneficiaries will get this card.
* Each family can avail of treatment up to Rs 5 lakh per annum. Women members can avail this benefit up to Rs 10 lakh every year.
* The beneficiaries can avail of health services in more than 200 hospital chains of the country including Odisha.
