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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Chhattisgarh: FIR against Vedanta group chairman Anil Agarwal, others after blast kills 20 workers
Sakti (Chhattisgarh) (PTI): The Chhattisgarh police on Thursday registered an FIR against Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal and others in connection with the blast at the firm's power plant in Sakti district that claimed 20 lives, an official said.
The explosion occurred on April 14 at the Vedanta plant in Singhitarai village when a steel tube carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler to the turbine burst, leaving several workers with severe burn injuries. The incident claimed 20 lives and left 16 persons injured.
A case has been registered at Dabhra police station under sections 106 (causing death by negligence), 289 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Sakti Superintendent of Police Prafull Thakur said.
"Eight to ten individuals, including Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal, have been named in the FIR. If more persons are found responsible during the investigation, their names will be added," Thakur told PTI.
Investigation into the incident is underway and several reports are awaited, including post-mortem reports of the deceased and findings from the forensic science laboratory and the industrial health and safety department, he said.
"A technical team has also been constituted to probe the cause of the blast. Further sections will be added if required after all reports are received," the SP said.
Following the incident, the opposition Congress had demanded registration of an FIR against the plant management and a judicial inquiry into it.
