HYDERABAD: Continuing its trend of replacing the name of former Prime Minister and Congress icon Rajiv Gandhi with that of TDP founder NT Rama Rao in the government schemes that were either renamed or introduced by then Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, the Andhra Pradesh government on Saturday issued an order renaming the Rajiv Aarogyasri Health Insurance Scheme as “Dr Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Aarogya Seva”.
“Erstwhile government of united AP had launched Rajiv Aarogyasri Health Insurance Scheme with the objective of providing quality health care to the poor for identified diseases. The State government is now renaming after NT Rama Rao, apart from enhancing of coverage by adding 100 new procedures to the existing 938 procedures. The scheme will provide cashless treatment in the empanelled network hospitals for a total 1038 procedures,” the GO stated.
The government also enhanced the existing limit of financial coverage from `Rs 2 lakh per family per annum to `Rs 2.50 lakh per family per annum.
Interestingly, the State government on Thursday dropped the name of Rajiv from Rajiv Yuva Shakti scheme, which is meant to provide self-employment for unemployed youth in the State, and restored the schemes original name, Chief Minister’s Empowerment of Youth by issuing a GO.
Rajiv Yuva Shakti was the first scheme to be renamed after Rajiv Gandhi by Rajasekhara Reddy soon after he took over in 2004.
Along with the change of name, the government is planning to issue new guidelines for the implementation of the scheme.
According to sources, the TDP government is planning to drop Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi names from all the welfare schemes in a phased manner. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is learnt to be considering renaming Indira Sagar Polavaram Project as NTR Sagar.