After hoisting the National Flag on the occasion of 75th Independence Day, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced to provide Smart Health Cards to 3.5 crore people in the state under the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana on Sunday.
The Chief Minister said that this initiative will transform the health service delivery system and create history in the health sector of the Country.
He said the move will usher in a new era in the state's health sector.
Speaking on an emotional note, CM Patnaik 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."
He further added that people should get hassle-free quality treatment at the best available health care facilities. So Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana was redesigned to provide Smart Health Cards to people that will work like debit cards for a certain amount.
Odisha is the first state in the country to provide such Smart Health Cards and 3.5 crore people of 96 lakh families will get this Smart Health Card.
The beneficiaries of National and State Food Security Schemes, Annapurna and Antodaya beneficiaries will get this card and each family can avail treatment cost up to Rs 5 lakh per annum. Women members can avail of 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.
( With inputs from ANI )
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