Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday launched the BSKY Nabin Card in 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. The scheme is being implemented under the 5T initiative of the state government.
Speaking on this occasion, the Chief Minister said, “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.”
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 is worth noting that more than one crore families of the state, which is 80% of the state’s population, are getting cashless medical benefits under the Biju Swastya Kalyan Yojana (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.
State 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. Today, all the underprivileged beneficiaries of the rural areas are covered. 5T is the Chief Minister’s vision for the development of Odisha and the idea of serving people. Today, the trust of the people in the 5T Mantra is increasing. He said that the Chief Minister attaches utmost importance to providing better healthcare to the people of the state.
5T and Nabin Odisha Chairman VK Pandian said that the Chief Minister aims to provide health protection to everyone in the state. In this context, in the next phase, almost everyone in the urban areas will be included in the BSKY Nabin card. He thanked the Department of Health and Family Welfare and the Department of Information Technology for implementing the scheme in record time.
It is worth noting that during the 5T Chairman’s district visits, many deprived people in the rural areas requested him to involve them in this scheme. Inspired by the ideals that every life is precious, the Chief Minister decided to launch the card after learning about the people’s request.
Among others, Ashok Chandra Panda, Minister for Empowerment of Disabled in Bhubaneswar block; Kumudini Naik, District Council President, Sambalpur Bamda block; Kishore Chandra Naik, MLA, Kuchinda; Rohit Pujari, MLA, Rairakhol; Shwetsnigdha Mishra, Coordinator of ‘Am Odisha, Naveen Odisha’ in Tangi block in Khurda district; Bolgarh MLA Rajendra Kumar Sahu; Khurda District Council President Rup Shri Rani Guman Singh attended the programme. They said that under the leadership of the Chief Minister Odisha is progressing in all fields. The Chief Minister pays special attention to the welfare of the people living in the lowest rungs of society. The BSKY has become a symbol for the people of the state today. They added that the people of Odisha will always remember the Chief Minister’s initiatives in the field of healthcare and development of the state.
Shalini Pandit, Commissioner and Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Department, delivered the welcome address, and a vote of thanks was proposed by the CEO of BSKY Society.
