Kerala govt allocates additional Rs 200 crore for its integrated healthcare scheme
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): The Kerala government has granted an additional Rs 200 crore for Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi (KASAP), its integrated health protection scheme that is estimated to have benefited 64 lakh people in the southern state.
With this additional allocation, the total amount granted for the flagship scheme in the present financial year has gone up to Rs 800 crore, state Finance Minister K N Balagopal said in a statement.
He said KASAP is a comprehensive scheme which ensures the healthcare of 42 lakh families in Kerala and the State Health Agency under the Health Department, is implementing the programme.
"The scheme has been launched by the state government with an objective of avoiding a situation where sudden heavy medical expenses push ordinary families into financial ruin," the minister said.
Giving details of the healthcare scheme, he said an average of 180 patients per hour (3 patients per 1 minute) benefit from it.
At present, 1,667 treatment packages are included as part of the scheme and its service is available in 200 government and 544 private hospitals in the southern state, he added.
According to government sources, KASAP aims at providing a health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to over 42 lakh poor and vulnerable families (approximately 64 lakh beneficiaries) that form the bottom 40 per cent of the Kerala population.
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Several Gurugram schools receive hoax bomb threats
Gurugram (PTI): Several Gurugram schools received another hoax bomb threat emails on Wednesday morning, prompting police to launch searches on the premises.
Police said the email was sent by the 'Khalistan National Army', with threats issued to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini to declare April 29 as the "40th Khalistan Declaration Day". It also threatened to bomb the Red Fort in Delhi.
Police said it was a hoax as no suspicious items were found after an intensive search.
Several schools, including Shri Ram, Amity, and the HDFC school, received threatening emails at 8.33 am, when classes had already begun, police said.
The school administrations became aware of the threats around 9 am and immediately informed the police, a senior police officer said.
The schools immediately implemented emergency protocols, with many declaring a holiday and asking parents to take their children home safely, the officer said.
A large number of anxious parents gathered outside the schools, as police and bomb squad teams reached the spots and started checks.
"Around 10 schools have approached the police from morning until now over bomb threats. Police teams are alert, and searches are underway on all the premises", the officer said.
As soon as the information about this email was received, police in Gurugram and Delhi swung into action and started investigation.
Schools immediately implemented emergency protocols upon receiving the mail. Many schools declared a holiday and sent messages to parents, asking them to take their children home. Large crowds of parents gathered outside the schools.
The schools were sanitised by sending a bomb disposal squad as well as a dog squad.
A senior police officer said that police teams thoroughly searched the school premises, classrooms, buildings, and surrounding areas. No suspicious objects or explosive materials were found during the investigation.
"Police teams are seriously investigating the entire matter. Cyber experts are being consulted to determine the authenticity of the email, its source, and the identity of the sender", added the officer.
This is the third time since January that schools have received fake bomb threats.
In March, at least a dozen schools in the city received bomb threat emails, which later turned out to be hoaxes.
Similarly, on January 28, as many as 13 schools received hoax bomb threats via email, forcing authorities to evacuate campuses and suspend classes.
Last month, police arrested a Bangladeshi national whose email ID was allegedly used to make a bomb threat for some payment.
