Titilagarh (SunstarTV Bureau): Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik visited Balangir district and inaugurated the distribution of smart health cards under the Biju Health Welfare Scheme. The Chief Minister visited Titilagarh, Patnagarh and Balangir towns in the districts and distributed smart cards. In Titilagarh, the Chief Minister inaugurated the program by awarding a smart health card to Sarojini Bahidar as the first beneficiary of the district.
4.5 lakh families in the district will get the scheme’s benifit. During the visit, the Chief Minister inaugurated Rs 200 crore development projects in the district and laid the foundation stone for projects worth Rs 597 crore. He also laid the foundation stone for the development of Harisankar peetha in Patnagarh.
In his inaugural address, the Chief Minister opined that the provision of smart health cards could change the healthcare system of the general public. “It’s a milestone in the country’s health care system,” he said. The Chief Minister said that the Biju Health Welfare Scheme has been implemented in a new way and all the beneficiaries of the National and State Food Security Scheme are being given smart cards. Odisha is the only state in the country to make such a provision. The Chief Minister said that while 96 lakh families across Odisha are getting the benefit, 4.5 lakh families in Balangir district will get the benefit.
The Chief Minister said that if the card was kept, no documents were needed for the treatment. Along with the card, people can get quality treatment with no cost at 200 major hospitals in the country. Up to Rs 5 lakh per year for families and up to Rs 10 lakh for women will be benefited.
“No one could be deprived of good medical care for money. Every life is precious to him,” he said, adding that the state could only prosper if everyone was healthy.
The Chief Minister first visited Titilagarh and launched a number of new projects there. He inaugurated the completed water pipeline project in Titilagarh-Saintala block and laid the foundation stone of the piped water project for all houses in Titilagarh town.
In Patnagarh, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for the development of the famous Harisankar Peetha among many projects. The Chief Minister said that Harisankar Peetha is an important pilgrimage site in the state and its natural beauty is very beautiful. The chief minister said the shrine was being developed in five programs to give a beautiful, spiritual experience to the devotees who come here for visit. This will increase the spread of religious and cultural traditions in the region, he said.
Finally, the Chief Minister visited Bolangir district and inaugurated several projects there. “Education and health are the cornerstones of all our development,” he said. That is why the state government attaches great importance to the development of these two sectors in 5-T programs. The state government is paying for the full medical expenses of all government hospitals, including improving the health infrastructure in the state. “5-T scheme being reorganized in the state and 1,072 schools are on the focus in the first phase,” he said.
Highlighting Rajendra University, the Chief Minister said that this is the second most important institution in the district after Saint Bhimbhoi Medical College. Naveen Patnaik also promised that the state government would provide all possible assistance to make it an ideal university.
The Chief Minister sought the cooperation of the people in the development of the state and said that this would further strengthen his resolve for development and service.
State Cabinet members Bikram Keshari Arukh, Niranchan Pujari, Padmanabh Behera, Sushant Singh, Nab Das, Tukuni Sahu, Divyashkar Mishra, MP Sangeeta Singhdeo, MLA Narasimha Mishra, MLA Saroj Meher, Santosh Singh Saluja, Mukesh Mahalinga Mishra and several senior leaders attended programme.
