On January 23, 2021, Union Minister Amit Shah, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) attended a function in Guwahati, Assam where he launched the ‘Ayushman CAPF’ scheme for personnel and dependents of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), which will be fully implemented by May 1, 2021.It will cover around 28 lakh personnel of CAPF, Assam Rifles and National Security Guard (NSG) and their families under ‘Ayushman Bharat: Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana’ (AB PM-JAY).
- In this regard, an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the National Health Authority (NHA) and MHA in the presence of Assam Chief Minister (CM) Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai and state Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
- He also presented Ayushman CAPF beneficiary e-health cards to some officers and personnel of the CAPFs.
- He also virtually inaugurated Sashastra Seema Bal’s (SSB) 168 quarters, a 10-bed hospital and an administrative building located at different places of Assam.
About Ayushman CAPF scheme:
This pan-India scheme is a first of its kind convergence between Ayushman Bharat and CAPF co-led by MHA and the National Health Authority (NHA) to provide cashless healthcare services to the serving CAPF personnel and their family members.
- The joint initiative will provide cashless healthcare services to serving CAPF personnel from all seven forces – Assam Rifles, Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), NSG and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) – and their dependents.
- The card will enable the CAPF personnel and their families to receive free treatment in 24,000 hospitals.
- CAPF personnel can receive a medical checkup once every year and their families once in three years.
- A 24×7 call centre, online grievance management system, fraud and abuse control system, and real-time monitoring dashboards are also the key features of the scheme.
- It should be noted that NHA is the apex government agency responsible for the design, roll-out, implementation and management of AB PM-JAY.
Additional Info:
–The Prime Minister Ayushman scheme has already served around two crore people, and provides free treatment upto Rs. five lakh to the poor and the needy.
–Patients are also given Rs. 250 to commute back to their homes after treatment.
–The Government is also trying to ensure that every Jawan gets to spend at least 100 days every year with his family along with increasing the housing satisfaction ratio to 55%, which is targeted to be gradually increased to above 65% by 2024.
About National Health Authority (NHA):
Establishment– 2019
Chief Executive Officer– Dr. Indu Bhushan
Headquarter– New Delhi
