Kerala government joins issue with PM on Ayushman Bharat, says state already member of scheme
Thiruvananthapuram: Joining issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his appeal to it for joining Ayushman Bharat, the LDF government in Kerala has said the state is already a member of the Centre's health insurance scheme and the PM has "misunderstood" it.
Asking the prime minister to correct himself, state Health Minister K K Shylaja said that in fact, the Kerala government had extended its coverage from 18.5 lakh families to 41 lakh families by integrating the other existing schemes under the title "Karunaya Arogya Surakha Scheme".
Speaking at a BJP meeting in Guruvayur on Saturday, Modi urged the Pinarayi Vijayan government in Kerala to implement the flagship health insurance programme of the Centre.
Reacting to it, Shylaja, in a statement here, said Kerala was already a member of the scheme.
She pointed out that Modi had said it was unfortunate that Kerala did not join the scheme and therefore, many poor people of the state would not get its benefits.
"The prime minister has misunderstood the state in this regard; he may correct his statement since Kerala is a member of the scheme and signed the MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) on November 2, 2018," the health minister said.
She further said the state had received Rs 25 crore as the first installment (from the Centre) and Chief Minister Vijayan had inaugurated the state-wide distribution of health cards under the scheme on March 5.
The minister also said the state had registered 17 lakh beneficiaries under the scheme and 1.46 lakh people were given treatment for various diseases.
However, she added that the southern state had apprehensions about the scheme as it covered only 18.5 lakh families, leaving out many deserving people.
"Therefore, the Kerala government expanded and strengthened the implementation of the project by adjoining other existing health insurance schemes into it under the title -- Karunaya Arogya Surakha Scheme, which comprises 41 lakh families," Shylaja said.
Billed as the biggest government-sponsored healthcare scheme in the world, Ayushman Bharat was launched by the Modi government in September last year, envisaging a coverage of Rs five lakh per family annually to more than 10 crore poor families.
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Marxism will remain relevant despite Left electoral's losses, says general secretary M A Baby
New Delhi (PTI): CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby on Thursday asserted that the Left movement would remain relevant despite not being in power in any state, saying the ideology would continue to endure as long as social and economic inequalities persist.
Hitting back at BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar over his reported remarks that Marxism had become irrelevant, Baby, in an interview with PTI Videos, said, "So long as there is division in society, so long as there is exploitation of the majority of workers, peasants and ordinary masses by a handful of billionaires, Marxism will remain relevant."
"That perhaps Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar may not be able to understand, but this is the fact of the matter," he said.
Baby acknowledged that the CPI(M)-led Left was currently without an elected government in any state, but maintained that electoral setbacks would not diminish the movement's role.
"We may not have an elected government in any state. There were occasions when we didn't have a government. But the red flag and the commitment to organise and struggle for the rights of the dispossessed, marginalised and exploited will always be upheld by CPI(M) and the Left movement," he said.
He said the Left continued to enjoy support among workers, peasants, agricultural labourers, youth, students and women, and argued that the movement remained necessary because "oppression and assault" continued in society.
"So long as such problems exist in society, the red flag and the working class movement will continue to work among the masses," the Left leader said.
Exuding confidence on the Left's revival, Baby said the party would reflect on the reasons behind its electoral loss.
"We may be rejected in one election, but we will stage our comeback by understanding what went wrong with us," he said, adding, "We will listen to people and we will come back with higher strength."
Baby also criticised the Congress over reported factional tensions in Kerala after the Congress-led United Democratic Front's victory in the state.
"The way they are behaving is being watched by the people of Kerala," he said, referring to infighting within the Congress.
"Those who have given a massive majority to Congress and UDF would be watching all this," he added, while urging party leaders to "settle the problem in an amicable, democratic manner".
Referring to West Bengal, Baby alleged that violence had escalated following the BJP's victory in the state assembly polls.
"It is quite unfortunate that the moment BJP snatched a massive victory in West Bengal, violence has also started on a big scale," he said.
He also accused the Trinamool Congress of being "notorious for violent activities" and alleged that the "RSS-controlled BJP" had "unleashed violence in many places" after the election results.
"This is not good for Bengal, not good for the country. We wish and hope that normalcy would be restored as soon as possible," he said.
Baby said the CPI(M) and the Left in West Bengal would continue efforts to "pacify people" and avoid violence and confrontation.
Asked about former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan not reacting publicly to the election results, Baby said Vijayan would respond "at an appropriate time".
