LUCKNOW: In a major feat, UP government distributed golden cards under Ayushman Bharat scheme in 5,791 out of the 6,709 targeted villages in one day on Sunday.
The record was achieved after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flagged off a special drive to provide golden cards under Ayushman health insurance scheme in the identified villages which did not have a single card. This way, 67 UP districts have been saturated for distribution of golden cards, leaving eight districts where the drive would continue.
Yogi flagged off the drive by distributing golden cards to five beneficiaries. Yogi said Ayushman Bharat scheme aims at providing medical care to all and added that his government would expand the ambit of the scheme to benefit more and more people.
Those who could not be covered under Ayushman Bharat will be covered under Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Yojana launched by the state government, the CM said. He asked officials to ensure distribution of golden card, required to avail the scheme, to all the eligible persons.
He said the role of Ayushman Mitra has been very important and their responsibilities should be fixed to ensure no single eligible person remains deprived of the golden card.
Under the scheme, a beneficiary can get health treatment worth up to Rs 5 lakh in listed government hospitals/medical colleges and hospitals in the corporate sector. The CM directed the health department to spread awareness about the scheme as much as possible.
The special drive comes days after CM, during a review meeting found that there were 6,709 villages which had not a single beneficiary of the Ayushman scheme. On Sunday, the health department organised camps in the targeted villages to distribute golden cards in the first phase.
In UP, 98 lakh beneficiaries have been given golden cards under Ayushman scheme. Of them about 5 lakh people have availed the benefits of the scheme.