The Hindu Business Line : Reddy promises to dispel doubts on ‘Arogya Sri’

Visakhapatnam, Aug. 5 The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Dr Y.S Rajasekhara Reddy, has announced here that there will be a comprehensive debate in the Assembly, when it convenes on August 25, on the Rajiv Arogya Sri, a scheme meant to enable the poorer sections to obtain treatment in corporate hospitals.

Arogya Sri is applicable to all families with an annual income below Rs. 75,000 and special cards are given to the eligible families and the State Government pays the premium to the insurance companies.

The Chief Minister made the announcement at a press conference here on Tuesday after inaugurating a mega Rajiv Arogya Sri medical camp, the first in the State.

Referring to the criticism levelled by the Opposition parties, especially Dr Jayaprakash Narayan of the Lok Satta Party, that the scheme is meant more to improve the financial health of the corporate hospitals rather than the health of the poor, he said he had issued clarifications on several occasions. However, in view of the persistent criticism by the Opposition, he said there would be a comprehensive debate on the issue.

He said, “We thought the best platform, or forum, for having such a debate on Arogya Sri would be the State Assembly and we will dispel all misgivings regarding the scheme on the floor of the House.” When it was pointed out that the most vociferous critic of the scheme, Dr Narayan, was not a member of the House, he said he could not help it. The Chief Minister also remarked that he did not want to respond personally to the remarks of Dr. Narayan.

Budgetary allocation

The Chief Minister said there was a separate budgetary allocation of Rs. 450 crores for the scheme and apart from that funds would also be allotted out of the Chief Minister’s relief fund. “Our primary concern is public health and it is our endeavour to provide quality medicare to the poorer sections. There are checks and balances in the system to prevent misuse of the scheme or any misappropriation,” he said.

Answering a question on the Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS), he said work was going on briskly and “at least a part of it will be ready and operational before the end of the year.”

In response to another question, Dr Reddy said Hindusthan Shipyard Ltd (HSL) would be taken over by the Navy and there were also proposals to set up another shipyard in the private sector, somewhere along the coast, in the State.

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