No ulterior motive behind linking CGHS IDs to ABHA: Health ministry
New Delhi, Apr 16: The health ministry on Tuesday said the government has no ulterior motive behind linking the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) beneficiary IDs to the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) numbers.
"ABHA isn't some sneaky way for the government to track money. In fact, it is not linked to any monetary or fiscal scheme of the government. It is being rolled out across government health programs, such as Reproductive and Child Health (RCH), Non- Communicable Disease (NCD), Nikshay, U-win (Universal-immunisation), E-Sanjeevani (teleconsultation), PMJAY, Poshan (Anganwadi), etc," the ministry said in a statement.
It added that a lot of misinformation is being spread around its recent move to link CGHS records to ABHA numbers and clarified that ABHA is a unique health ID based on Aadhaar.
The need for ABHA arose because Aadhaar details cannot be saved on systems without implementing Aadhaar vault and other security systems, the ministry said adding that ABHA is a proxy of Aadhaar in the sphere of health.
"The government doesn't have any ulterior motive to hide nor does it need to. ABHA will eventually apply to all Indian citizens at every health facility," it clarified.
The health ministry said this initiative will allow the CGHS beneficiaries to access their health records on their mobile phones, thus saving money spent on repeating tests.
According to the statement, any place where a health record is getting created, ABHA is being implemented.
One can find this in the Char Dham Yatra screening, Maha-Kumbh screening, medical examination for UPSC and other central services, medical examination for driving licence, etc., it said.
The ministry has also extended the deadline for linking of the ABHA number with the CGHS ID for 120 days or four months with effect from June 30, 2024.
It said in an office memorandum that kiosks would be made operational at all wellness centres by June 30 to assist the CGHS beneficiaries.
The creation of the ABHA number has also been extended for a time period of 90 days with effect from June 30, the memorandum said.
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BJP responsible for escape of Prajwal Revanna accused of sexual harassment: Congress
Bhubaneswar, Apr 29: The Congress on Monday alleged that the BJP was responsible for the "escape" of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda's grandson Prajwal Revanna against whom a "sexual harassment" case has been registered.
Revanna is the BJP-JD(S) alliance candidate from the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency in Karnataka, where voting was held in the second phase of elections on April 26.
Senior Congress leader Ajoy Kumar claimed, "Revanna left India shortly after several sex scandal videos recorded by him surfaced".
“He has recorded obscene videos. Such an accused has been allowed to leave the country freely. The BJP is responsible for it. The prime minister is also responsible for the escape of Revanna,” the Congress leader in charge of Odisha alleged.
He mocked the BJP, stating that "it should be called 'Balatkari Janata Party' as the saffron camp was supporting a rapist".
The JD(S) has decided to suspend Revanna over sexual abuse allegations, party chief H D Kumaraswamy said on Monday as the Congress and others tore into the BJP over the issue and its alliance with the southern party.
Police on Sunday booked Prajwal and his father -- JD(S) MLA and former minister H D Revanna -- for sexual harassment and criminal intimidation based on a complaint from a woman, who worked in their household.
As per official data, crimes against women have increased by 50 per cent during the NDA regime, Kumar claimed, adding that the number of such cases has "risen from 3 lakh to 4.45 lakh".
“For the first time, the country has been witnessing a prime minister, who is looking at all crimes from the party angle. The PM has a soft corner towards BJP leaders, irrespective of the accusation of heinous crimes against them,” the Congress leader claimed.
Odisha is in "fourth place in terms of crimes against women and the state is moving fast to be at the top position", said another Congress leader Bobbeeta Sharma, who was present at the press conference.
She alleged that "BJD leaders and MLAs, who are allegedly involved in atrocities on women are roaming freely because no action has been taken against them at the behest of the state government".
“Time has come to change the governments at the Centre and in Odisha," she added.
