Odisha CM launches smart health cards amid Opposition protests in Bargarh
BHUBANESWAR/BARGARH: Continuing with his district visits ahead of the panchayat polls likely to be held early next year, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday launched distribution of Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) smart health cards in Bargarh district which will benefit 3.64 lakh people.
Besides launching distribution of the health cards, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stones of various projects worth Rs 300 crore in the district and dedicated to the people 71 reconstructed schools under the school transformation programme.
Stating that development projects worth Rs 2,500 crore are in different stages of implementation in the district, the Chief Minister announced that Rs 2,090 crore Gangadhar Meher lift irrigation project will be completed by September, 2023.
Describing Bargarh district as the rice bowl of the State, Naveen also praised the weavers who have gifted the Sambalpuri saree to the world.
Naveen said that 3.5 crore people of 96 lakh families will benefit from the smart health cards launched by the State government. Each family can avail treatment cost up to `5 lakh per annum, he said and added that women can avail this benefit up to Rs 10 lakh every year.
Earlier in the day, Minister of State for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes Minister Jagannath Saraka and former minister Snehangini Chhuria faced the wrath of the Opposition workers. They threw eggs on the vehicle of the minister while he was on his way to distribute health cards at Padampur. Eggs were also thrown at the car of Chhuria while she was on her way attend the Chief Minister’s event at Bijepur.
On the other hand, some Congress workers were beaten up allegedly by BJD activists ahead of the Chief Minister’s event at Bijepur.
A group of people holding BJD flags started beating up Congress workers who were raising slogans and showing black flags at the Alibali square in Bijepur demanding the ouster of Minister of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra over the Mamita Meher murder case.
Police also detained some BJP workers including Odisha BJP Yuva Morcha president Irasis Acharya and Congress workers in Bhatli ahead of the Chief Minister’s visit.
The function attended by the Chief Minister, however, passed off without any incident.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das, Rural Development Minister Sushant Singh, Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari, Rajya Sabha MP Prasanna Acharya, former minister Snehangini Chhuria and several senior leaders were present.
BJP MP from Bargarh Suresh Pujari boycotted the event.
“I did not go to the CM’s programme because I did not feel like it. It is inappropriate for me to share the same stage with a person who has arrested my men for protesting,” he said.