Bihar Cabinet Approves 5 Lakh Health Insurance for Families Not Covered Under Ayushman Bharat
Patna: The Bihar Cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal to provide health insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh to families not covered under the central government's Ayushman Bharat scheme.
The decision, taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, will benefit around 58 lakh families in the state who come under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and are entitled to 5 kg of subsidized food grains and 5 kg of free grain per month.
The insurance will be cashless and patients will be able to avail treatment at empanelled hospitals across the state, similar to the Ayushman Bharat scheme. The state government will bear the entire cost of the scheme.
The cabinet also approved a proposal to convert 176 police outposts (OPs) into police stations. These OPs, which have a strength of five police personnel each, will now function as regular police stations.
In addition, the cabinet approved a proposal to discontinue the Intermediate (Class 11 and 12) level from colleges in the state. The move will be implemented from the upcoming academic session.
The cabinet also gave its nod to the reconstitution of all constitutional commissions and boards set up during the previous Mahagathbandhan government. A special committee will be constituted for this purpose and a bill will be brought in, if necessary.
Key features of the scheme:
- Health insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh
- Cashless treatment at empanelled hospitals
- To benefit around 58 lakh families under the National Food Security Act
- State government to bear the cost of the scheme
About Ayushman Bharat:
Ayushman Bharat is a national health insurance scheme launched by the central government in 2018. It aims to provide health insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh to poor and vulnerable families across the country.
Other decisions taken by the cabinet:
- Approval for the construction of a new medical college in Gaya district.
- Approval for the establishment of a state-of-the-art cancer hospital in Patna.
- Approval for the upgradation of 100 government schools as model schools.
- Approval for the recruitment of 10,000 teachers in government schools.
About the Bihar government's health insurance scheme
Bihar is the third most populous state in India. It has a population of over 120 million people. The state has a relatively poor health infrastructure and high rates of poverty and malnutrition.
The Bihar government's health insurance scheme is a major step towards providing affordable and quality healthcare to the poor and vulnerable population of the state. The scheme is expected to benefit a large number of families and help them in meeting their healthcare expenses.
The scheme is similar to the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which is a centrally sponsored scheme that provides health insurance of up to Rs 5 lakh to poor and vulnerable families across the country.
About the Bihar Cabinet:
The Bihar Cabinet is the council of ministers that aids and advises the Governor of Bihar in the exercise of his executive functions. The cabinet is headed by the Chief Minister of Bihar and consists of ministers who are appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister.
The current Bihar Cabinet has 35 members, including the Chief Minister and 2 Deputy Chief Ministers. The cabinet is composed of members from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), and other smaller parties.
