Independence Day: Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik announces Smart Health Cards for 3.5 cr people

On the occasion of 75th Independence day, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced to provide Smart Health Cards to 3.5 Crore people in the state under Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana. Announcing this at the state level celebration of Independence day, the Chief Minister said the initiative will transform the health service delivery system and create history in the health sector of the Country.

He said the move will usher in a new era in the state’s health sector.

Speaking on an emotional note, the CM said that all the people of entire Odisha are my family. The news of people selling land, jewelry or stop sending children to school to manage their treatment costs pains me. Therefore I decided that this type of distress must go. People should get hassle-free quality treatment at best available health care facilities. So Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana was redesigned to provide Smart Health Cards to people that will work as debit cards for a certain amount.

The main features of this new provision are:

• 3.5 crore people of 96 lakh families will get this Smart Health Card.
• Odisha is the first state in the country to provide such Smart Health Cards.
• This card will be given to all the beneficiaries phase-wise.
• Beneficiaries of National and State Food Security Schemes, Annapurna and Antodaya beneficiaries will get this card.
•  Each family can avail of treatment cost up to Rs 5 lakh per annum. Women members can avail this benefit up to Rs 10 lakh every year.

 The beneficiaries can avail of health services in more than 200 hospital chains of the country including Odisha. It will go a long way in strengthening health security of people of Odisha.

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