Hyderabad: Telangana chose not to implement the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme launched Sunday for the time being citing a state scheme that covered nearly 80 lakh families, drawing flak from opposition BJP.
One of the reasons for not rolling out the scheme now was that Telangana would continue to implement its own Aarogyasri Health Scheme, which covers nearly 80 lakh families in the state, official sources said. “We already have Aarogyasri scheme. As of now Telangana state has not participated in the (central government’s) scheme,” they said.
Asked when the Central scheme would be implemented in Telangana, the official said, “As of now Aarogyasri scheme will continue,” adding that Telangana’s model of health coverage is a robust programme.
However, Dattatreya, in a open letter to Telangana care taker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Sunday described the state government's decision as a “unilateral, undemocratic and autocratic one.”
“It is wrong to look at the scheme in political point of view but consider the benefits the poorer sections in the state might avail with it,” the Secunderabad MP said in the letter adding KCR before taking a decision on the matter should have consulted the opposition parties.
