PURSURAH (HOOGHLY): Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday assured applicants for the Swasthya Sathi health scheme that the government will give a “temporary” card in case they do not receive the biometric smart card.
“The machine for smart cards can bring out 1.5 lakh cards at a time. Don’t worry. The state government will issue a temporary card to all applicants till they get the biometric card. They can avail treatment facilities with the temporary card. We have arranged for free treatment of Swasthya Sathi card-holders also at All India Institute of Medical Sciences,” she said at Hooghly’s Pursurah.
Banerjee also asked card-holders to lodge a police complaint if any private hospital refused to acknowledge it. Referring to BJP’s “hullaballoo” over a card-holder denied free treatment, she said: “This person had gone to hospital with the card seeking reimbursement for expenses incurred during an earlier procedure there, before this facility came into force. This can’t happen. He can avail free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh from the date he got enrolled into the scheme.”
Identifying free health, free ration and free education as the three development planks, she added: “We did it. We are not like those who came from outside and made tall promises before polls but were found nowhere later.”
Banerjee also had a terse message for some leaders. She said: “Those waiting to leave Trinamool may do so quick and fast. Thieves are going to BJP. These people are joining BJP to protect their ill-gotten money and assets. BJP is the new washing machine. We will give tickets to those who worked for the people.”
TMC Hooghly leader and Uttarpara MLA Prabir Ghoshal stayed away from the CM’s public meeting.