Odisha: In a groundbreaking development, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday launched a smart health card in Bolangir district under State’s flagship scheme, Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY).

The Chief Minister visited the Western Odisha district and commenced distribution of the smart cards at Patnagarh, Titlagarh and Bolangir towns. He also inaugurated various projects worth Rs 200 crore and laid foundation stones for different projects of Rs 597 crore in the district. The projects constitute infrastructure, education, health, livelihood, sanitation, irrigation, energy, women and child development.

Stating smart health cards is a landmark in the health care delivery system in India, he said the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana scheme has been implemented in a new form by distributing the cards to all ration card holders under National Food Security Act (NFSA) and State Food Security Scheme (SFSS). He said, about 96 lakh families in the State including 4.5 lakh families of the Bolangir district will get advance from the cards And now,  without showing any document, the beneficiaries can avail free health services by using this card in more than 200 big hospitals across the country including Odisha, he said.  Each family can avail of treatment cost up to Rs 5 lakh per year. Women members can avail of this benefit up to Rs 10 lakh every year, Patnaik said adding that “For me, every life is precious. The State will progress if everyone remains healthy.”

Patnaik had announced the distribution of smart health cards to the BSKY beneficiaries on the occasion of Independence Day this year. He has already launched this scheme in Malkangiri and Sundergarh districts in two phases.

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