Ambitious Modi healthcare scheme gets red flag
New Delhi: The Modi government has released less than half of the budgeted allocation for health insurance of poor families in fiscal 2017-18, even as it promised to step up coverage with the proposed launch of what is called the world's largest government healthcare programme.
According to a parliamentary panel’s report, the revenue allocation of Rs 975 crore for the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) was reduced to Rs 565 crore and, as the year progressed, the actual release was just Rs 450 crore --less than half of the budget estimate.
"Funds as central share of premium under RSBY of approximately Rs 450 crore were only released for such states that submitted their proposal during the year 2017-18," said the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare in its report.
As for the reason for reducing the budgeted allocation, the panel quoted the Department of Health and Family Welfare, saying: "This ministry had moved a proposal for another scheme with enhanced cover of Rs 1 lakh per family.
"However, this proposal is still pending with the cabinet. Therefore, such states that were waiting for the new scheme to be launched did not submit any proposal and meanwhile stopped implementation of RSBY."
The proposed National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS), which would subsume RSBY, would cover 10 crore poor and vulnerable families, and the coverage is further enhanced to Rs 5 lakh per family per year.
However, the Parliamentary Standing Committee has warned of possible failures.
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Passenger gets back misplaced bag containing valuables worth Rs 20 lakh at Mangaluru airport
Mangaluru (Karnataka) Dec 23: A heartwarming instance of vigilance and dedication unfolded at Mangaluru international airport here on Monday when a passenger got back his bag containing valuables worth Rs 20 lakh and Rs 1 lakh in cash.
The bag, which had been inadvertently left behind at a food and beverage outlet on the ground floor of the arrivals area, was swiftly recovered by alert Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel. Upon discovering the unattended bag, the team ensured its safe transfer to the terminal manager's office for further action.
Demonstrating resourcefulness, the team waited for a call on the mobile phone found inside the bag to establish contact with its owner. Once contacted, the passenger, who had already travelled nearly 50km to Udupi, was reassured about the safety of his belongings.
The passenger promptly returned to the airport and was overjoyed to find all items intact.
This seamless recovery highlighted the collaborative efforts of the CISF and airport terminal team.
