Indus Valley Times

Nadda takes broadsides at CM Naveen Patnaik over non-execution of Ayushman Bharat Yojana

By Dr Rama Chandra Behera

Bhubaneswar, May 16: After announcing that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will form its government in Odisha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has increased the frequency of his visit to the state to boost the morale of the party leaders and workers.

The PM, who has already visited the state twice this month and addressed six public meetings and held a roadshow in Bhubaneswar, will again visit Odisha on May 20. He is scheduled to hold a roadshow in the pilgrim city.

BJP’s Puri Lok Sabha nominee Sambit Patra on Thursday informed that the PM roadshow will be attended by over two lakh people from across the state.

 According to sources, after reaching Puri at 7 am, he will go to Srimandir, the abode Lord Jagannath, and offer prayers to the deity before embarking on his roadshow.

On Thursday, the BJP national president targeted the BJD government while addressing a public meeting at Padampur under Bargarh Lok Sabha constituency. He took a swipe at CM Naveen Patnaik for not implementing the Central government’s Ayushman Bharat Yojana in Odisha.

 “Modiji is giving the health cover of Rs 5 lakh per year to 50 crore people and 10.74 crore families. Among the beneficiaries, there are the poorest of the poor people like rickshaw pullers, bus drivers, cleaners, lift men, security men and rag pickers. But, Naveen Babu did not like this. He said Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana will work here. Because of this denial, around 68 lakh families in Odisha are deprived of the facility. These people are those who are working in Tamil Nadu, Bangalore and Mumbai as labourers. If they suffer from Cancer there and go to Tata Memorial Hospital, Biju Swasthya Yojan won’t work there. But under Ayushman Bharat Yojana, if a Bargarh man goes to Mumbai for treatment, he would receive Rs 5 lakh and get treatment,” he said.

 “I also want to say that every citizen above 70 years irrespective of caste, colour, religion and income group would get an Ayushman Card of Rs 5 lakh every year to get treatment for severe diseases,” he added.

“I don’t know how much Naveen babu loves Odisha. But I want to say Modiji always comes forward to help Odisha people despite the fact that the BJD government is here,” he said.

Asking people to vote for BJP, he said, “If you want a young CM, a CM of Odisha, an Odia-speaking CM then press the button of lotus (BJP’s symbol). A CM should be one who is born here, knows the culture and speaks the language. This is why there is the question of ‘Swabhiman,” he said.