Mamata Banerjee became the first chief minister of the country to openly object to the Centre’s massive healthcare scheme announced…
(Photo: Twitter/@MamataOfficial)
Mamata Banerjee became the first chief minister of the country to openly object to the Centre’s massive healthcare scheme announced by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on 1 February during the Union Budget 2018 speech.
Addressing a public meeting of supporters and officials at Krishhnanagar in Nadia district of West Bengal on Tuesday, 13 February, Banerjee accused the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre of taking a decision as huge as the National Health Protection Scheme meant to benefit 50 crore beneficiaries.
“They announced a health insurance scheme without allocating money. Now they are saying States have to bear 40 per cent cost. Why would the State pay?” she asked.
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“If the State has the capacity, it will carry out such a scheme on its own,” she said.
Banerjee also told the gathering that her government has transformed West Bengal into a “model in healthcare”.
“Treatment is given free at hospitals. Our Swasthya Sathi scheme covers 50 lakh people,” she claimed.
Jaitley had during his budget speech announced the government’s plan of the healthcare scheme under which Rs 5 lakh cover will be provided a year to 10 crore poor and vulnerable families in the country.
Niti Ayog CEO Amitabh Kant has previously said that the expenditure of the scheme, which will cost around Rs 5000-6000 crores, will be borne by the Centre and the States in a ratio of 60:40.
The Centre has allocated Rs 2000 crore for the scheme.
In her address, Banerjee also accused the Centre of destroying the economy in the name of demonetisation and GST.
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“The government is planning to bring FRDI Bill. Your savings will no longer be safe in banks. This will give rise to chit funds. Where will the poor people go? What will farmers, labourers, workers do?” she asked.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the successes of the policies adopted by her government for the development of the State and announced the construction of nearly 13,000 km of rural roads to connect the villages to state and national highways.
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