BHUBANESWAR:
Odisha wing of
Bharatiya Janata Party (
BJP) will launch a state-wide signature campaign to garner support from the general public, demanding participation of the state government in the Centre's
Ayushman Bharat scheme.
"Our party members will visit every nook and corner of the state and will collect signatures from people, urging chief minister
Naveen Patnaik to participate in the Ayushman Bharat Yojana," said Odisha BJP president Basant Panda.
He also alleged that because the state government will not be implementing the Ayushman Bharat Scheme, 'lakhs of Odia people', who have been working outside the state, will be deprived of its benefits. "The state government is opposing the scheme for the sake of politics alone," he added.
The state has launched the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana under which it will provide health assistance up to Rs 5 lakh to beneficiaries and Rs 7 lakh in case of women in a year.
BJD secretary Bijay Nayak said the people have supported Naveen Patnaik for the last 20 years. "Since BJP does not have any valid issue, they are launching this campaign," Nayak said.
