Coinciding with the completion of two years of the current State government, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday launched “Ayushman Asom – Mukhya Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana”, a family-floater health assurance scheme offering cashless medical treatment upto Rs five lakh per family per year, aimed at promoting accessible and affordable healthcare.
An initiative of the Government of Assam’s Department of Medical Education and Research, beneficiaries for Ayushman Asom shall be those who are listed under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
Covering as many as 1578 healthcare procedures in more than 300 impaneled hospitals within the state and all Ayushman Bharat- impaneled hospitals across the country, Ayushman Asom- Mukhya Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana shall initially be covering approximately 26 lakh beneficiary families which shall in phases go up to 32 lakh families.
Addressing the ceremonial launching event held at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra Auditorium, Assam Chief Minister Dr Sarma said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s relentless pursuit of the concept of Antyodaya, meaning the rise of the last person, as formulated by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, in day-to-day governance, was the motivating factor behind Mukhya Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana launched on Wednesday.
“Owing to certain limitations, a significant numbers of families belonging to the economically disadvantaged sections were left out of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, which also offers cashless healthcare treatment benefits of upto lakh per family per year,” the Assam CM stated.
Further, he added, “Ayushman Asom, covering around 26 lakh uncovered families, would ensure all economically vulnerable families of the State are covered by either Ayushman Bharat or Ayushman Asom”.
Stating that the Atal Amrit Abhiyan Society would be responsible for the day-to-day operations of Ayushman Asom, the Chief Minister exuded confidence Ayushman Asom shall prove decisive in realizing the current dispensation’s goal of inclusive growth and development.
Stating that out-of-pocket expenditures on healthcare expenses make a huge dent on the wellbeing of vulnerable families, Assam Chief Minister Dr Sarma said beneficiary families shall be able to lead a more dignified and fruitful life from now onwards as their healthcare expenditure woes would drastically go down.
Referring to Ayushman Asom- Mukhya Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana as reflections of “double-engine government”, the Chief Minister remarked that the current dispensations at the Centre and in the State have been relentlessly working towards socio-economic empowerment of disadvantaged sections of the society and that today’s launch of Ayushman Asom, along with previously launched schemes such as Mission Basundhara, Mission Bhumiputra, among others, are manifestations of that very commitment.
The Chief Minister also stated that improvement of the healthcare sector has been one of the priority areas of the current State government led by him.
He said the recent inauguration of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Changsari, along with a number of new medical colleges and hospitals across the state, shall lead to a never-before-seen positive change in the State’s healthcare sector in days to come.
He expressed happiness over the increase in the number of seats for MBBS and Post-Graduate courses in the medical colleges of the State as compared to the scenario a decade back.
“The launch of nursing courses in all medical colleges of the State, as many as 17 functional cancer hospitals in days to come, the upcoming super-specialty hospital plus medical research centre at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati campus, shall immensely benefit the residents of the State,” the Chief Minister remarked.
The Chief Minister also declared the rollout of Mukhya Mantri Lok Seva Arogya Yojana, a healthcare benefit scheme for employees of the Government of Assam, from coming August 15 that would do away with the cumbersome process of reimbursement for medical treatment expenses borne by employees on themselves and their dependents.
Several of the ministers of the Assam Cabinet along with Union Minister of State for Petroleum Rameshwar Teli were also present in the event.
