The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Implement scheme to aid poor: CPI(M)

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Sunday, Jul 08, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Implement scheme to aid poor: CPI(M)

Special Correspondent

Arogya Sri to offer medical insurance

HYDERABAD: The CPI (M) State committee has urged the Government to implement Arogya Sri scheme aimed at providing medical insurance coverage to below poverty line (BPL) families, through Government hospitals and to involve the public sector insurance companies in the process.

The CPI (M) wanted the Government to ensure that the entire family was covered under the scheme instead of limiting the benefits to an individual.

It also asked the Government to allocate 10 per cent budget to aid the health sector in strengthening Government hospitals with better facilities.

The party criticised the Government for implementing scheme through private hospitals involving private insurance firms as several lapses were coming to the fore because of their “collusion” and partnership.

Public health expense

In a statement, CPI (M) State secretary B.V. Raghavulu has charged the Government with launching the scheme with an intention to help corporate hospitals at the expense of public health system.

It added that the Government had not initiated steps to strengthen public health and was claiming that the scheme was taken up in private hospitals for want of facilities in Government hospitals. The Government against its earlier claims that the project would be implemented across the State had restricted it to three districts , he alleged.

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