Odisha CM to visit Malkangiri tomorrow

Bhubaneswar, Aug 19: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is scheduled to visit Maoist-affected Malkangiri district tomorrow to distribute smart health cards to the beneficiaries under Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana. As many as eight ministers will also visit the district. They will sensitise the public about the benefits of the health card in eight blocks and two NACs of the district. About 96 lakh families will be provided smart health cards under the scheme. It will extend cashless health coverage to the smartcard holders in more than 200 empanelled hospitals in the country. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will attend the function at the District Sanskriti Bhavan. The district administration has said that only 150 beneficiaries, administrative officials and some party leaders, will be involved in the Chief Minister's programme due to the Covid-19 restrictions. Extensive preparations have been made by the district administration for the Chief Minister's visit. Sources said the families will be issued two chip cards printed with the name of the beneficiary and a 12-digit unique registration number. The cards will be distributed in Malkangiri, Bolangir, Sundergarh, Mayurbhanj and Gajapati districts in the first phase. The card distribution in all 30 districts will be completed by November. No document is required for cashless healthcare services in government facilities. However, the beneficiaries will have to produce the smartcard or food security card (until they get the smart card) at the empanelled private hospitals for availing cashless care up to the annual financial limit.