Arogya Bhagya: Universal health scheme for 1.4 cr households in Karnataka

Agencies
August 28, 2017

Bengaluru, Aug 28: The Karnataka government today approved the 'Arogya Bhagya' scheme for universal health coverage under which all 1.40 crore eligible households in the state would be beneficiaries.

Under the scheme, all facilities will be provided through 'Aadhar linked Universal Health Card' to beneficiaries categorised into A and B sections, Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

Category A, with no contribution, include about 105 lakh priority households like-farmer households, teachers from aided schools, Anganwadi workers, hot mid-day meal workers, categories of unorganized labor, SC/ST; animal bite victims, mediapersons, members of co-operative societies and public servants.

The remaining households would be enrolled online with Aadhar details with Rs 300 contribution per person for rural areas and Rs 700 for urban areas, he said.

The scheme will be operational from November 1, 2017.

Jayachandra said the scheme calls for universal health care by way of primary health care, drugs and diagnostics, primary, secondary and tertiary health procedure in government hospitals, medical colleges, centers of excellence and private empanelled hospitals as per packaged rates.

Stating that all seven different health programmes of the government would be clubbed into one, he said merger of these programmes amounts to a total Rs 869.4 crore.

As doubts have been expressed over the scheme, the Health Minister has been directed to speak to departments concerned, including Finance, before issuing the order, he said.

Noting that in emergencies defined for both accidents, and medical/surgical emergencies, treatment can be provided at the nearest facility available, irrespective of Government or Private to ensure "Treatment first and Payment next", he said the rates would be applicable as per defined packages.

Further after stabilization of 48 hours the patient can be transferred to government/private hospital with required facilities for continued treatment.

The average expenditure is Rs 25,000, the minister added.

He also said that in addition 108, 104 helpline would support further free diagnostics, free drugs and dialysis, free blood units, platelets and components will be provided in government hospitals.

The cabinet today also approved creation of 49 new taluks that was proposed in the 2017-18 budget.

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News Network
April 2,2020
Bengaluru, Apr 2: About 1,500 people from Karnataka might have attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in Nizamuddin in the national capital between March 8 to 20. Of these, the State has been able to trace 800 people.
 
Of the 800 persons, 143 people have been found to be symptomatic.
 
Mr Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary (Health and Family Welfare), in a statement here on Thursday said that the Centre had sent the list of 1,500 people to the State.
 
“We cannot say if all these have attended the congregation. Some of them may have attended and some may be the contacts of those who have attended. We have been able to trace 800 from the list and samples of 143 symptomatic persons have been sent for tests."

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News Network
January 24,2020

Mangaluru, Jan 24: The third annual nocturnal Mangaluru Kambala, also known as the Rama Lakshmana Kambala, will be held on the night of January 25 at Goldfinch City in Bangra Kuluru, Mangaluru Kambala Samithi president Brijesh Chowta announced on Friday.

The all-night Kambala will have six categories - Naegilu Kiriya, Hagga Kiriya, Naegilu Hiriya, Hagga Hiriya, Kane Halage and Adda Halage.

The event will be inaugurated at 0930 hrs on January 25 and another programme will be held at 1800 hrs.

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News Network
July 23,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 23: The opposition party Congress on Thursday demanded a judicial enquiry in the alleged scam in coronavirus related medical equipment procurement by Karnataka government.

However, Deputy chief minister Ashwathnarayan and Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai denied all the allegations.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) and former Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar addressed a press conference here and demanded a judiciary enquiry under a sitting High Court judge to investigate "BJP's Corona Scams."

"I made allegations on July 3. Nobody has denied it officially. On July 20, Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu and Deputy Chief Minister Ashwathnarayan in a press conference denied my allegations. Today, I furnished 14 documents. If you go through it, you will find corruption and misappropriation in medical equipment purchase," Siddaramaiah said.

"The documents are available with the government, how can they deny their own documents. They are telling that they have spent only Rs 324 crore but according to me the government has spent more than Rs 4,000 crore and nearly Rs 2,000 crore went in the minister and bureaucrats' pockets," he said.

He further said, "Centre has procured 50,000 ventilators under PM Cares at a cost of Rs 4, lakh per unit. Tamil Nadu has procured at Rs 4.78 lakh. But in our state, the price is between Rs 5.6 lakh to Rs 18.2 lakh. Is this not corruption?"

Siddaramaiah also dared the government to step up for an enquiry if they are "honest and transparent".

"I am demanding, constitute a judicial committee headed by sitting high court judge, let there be an enquiry in detail," he said.

DK Shivakumar said that his party has made the allegations based on government documents and media reports showing corruption.

"Karnataka government is purchasing equipment at high rates. We have exposed BJP's Rs 2,000 crore scams today. The government's main focus is to loot. They have paralysed the state administration," he said.
Denying the Congress' allegations, Deputy Chief Minister, Ashwathnarayan said that the government is ready to discuss this in the Assembly house.

"They have alleged Rs 700 crore misappropriation by health department but we have shown we have spent only Rs 290 crore," he said.

Giving details of the SDRF expenditure towards COVID-19 containment he said, "We have released Rs. 23,220.01 lakh in SDRF accounts and they have spent Rs Rs. 15, 918.99 lakh in various activities like migrant relief measures, measures for quarantine, sample collection, screening from March 14 to July 16."

Karnataka Home Minister, Basavaraj Bommai, said, "Karnataka government has spent Rs 506 crores for medical equipment and Rs 1,611 crores for other activities related to combatting COVID-19. So, we have spent Rs 2,117 crores as of now and there is no corruption in it."

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