Rahul meets 'Yamaraj', says 'Yama not happy' with UDF's health insurance scheme
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met 'Yamaraj' on a bus during his Kerala poll campaign and said 'Yama' was not particularly happy to see him or the other UDF leaders due to the alliance's promised health insurance scheme, in what seemed like a promotional interaction.
Gandhi on Wednesday shared a video of his bus ride in Kerala's Balussery a day earlier during which he met a man who was dressed as 'Yamaraj'. It seemed like a promotional interaction for the UDF's proposed Health Insurance Scheme under which the alliance has promised Rs 25 lakh health coverage for every household in Kerala.
"Yesterday in Balussery, Keralam, I met Yamaraj on a bus. Unfortunately he wasn't particularly happy to see me or the other UDF leaders.
"UDF's Oommen Chandy Health Insurance Scheme promises Rs 25 lakh health coverage for every household -- this is going to put Yamaraj out of work but we'll find him another job soon," the leader of opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha said on X.
"Our mission is simple -- no family in Keralam should ever have to feel the financial burden of a medical crisis. With Rs 25 lakh coverage, we're ensuring that illness never robs a family of its dignity, its savings or its future. Healthcare is a right and UDF is here to make it real for every Keralite," Gandhi said.
In the video, the mace-wielding ’Yamaraja', the Hindu God of Death, tells Gandhi that he is out of work as people will live longer due to the Rs 25 lakh insurance scheme.
The UDF has pledged five Indira guarantees including free travel for all women on Kerala state transport buses, monthly assistance of Rs 1,000 to college-going girl students and a hike in the welfare pensions to Rs 3,000 per month.
Besides these, it has also pledged the health insurance scheme in the name of former chief minister Oommen Chandy providing coverage of up to Rs 25 lakh for each family, as well as interest-free loans of up to Rs 5 lakh for small businesses.
The polls in Kerala are scheduled for April 9 and counting for the elections will take place on May 4.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
