Karnataka, planning to co-brand the Arogya Karnataka programme with the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat, the national health protection scheme, will have to spend more from its kitty as all beneficiaries may not be covered by the Centre.
Speaking to presspersons on the sidelines of Dementia 2018, an international symposium, Health Minister Shivananda Patil said: “It is not a question of who (State or Centre) is going to get name and fame from this programme. The co-branding exercise is in the interest of the people of the State. We want to secure their future.”
This is likely to put an additional burden of ₹1,000 crore on the State exchequer.
Mr. Patil said that while the State government’s Arogya Bhagya would cover 1.43 crore families, the Centre’s programme would cover only around 62 lakh families. “The Centre is likely to fund 60% of the cost for only the 62 lakh families; the remaining 40% will have to be borne by the State. We will bear the entire cost of the remaining families.”
He said that a proposal on this would be placed before the Cabinet shortly.
While the State programme has an annual health coverage of ₹1.5 lakh a year for a family of five, with additional assistance of ₹50,000 in some cases, the amount will now rise to ₹5 lakh a year per family.