Shillong, Feb 01: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on Thursday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for replicating the Megha Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS), one of the flagship programme of the ruling Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance government.
“I must thank him (Prime Minister) for replicating the scheme (MHIS). I had said that last time he did not do his homework. I hope he will do his homework well from now on,†he said.
The veteran Congress leader was reacting to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley budget speech where he announced a flagship National Health Protection Scheme under which Rs 5 lakh cover will be provided per year to 10 crore poor and vulnerable families in the country.
“Unfortunately, when Prime Minister came here, he went hammer and tongs against the state government on health care facilities obviously because he did not do his homework properly,†Sangma said.
Modi had lashed out at the Congress-led government on the poor health facilities at BJP’s public rally in Polo grounds here last month.
“There is no programme as inclusive as ours (Congress government). Our scheme did not confined only to BPL (Below Poverty Line) families, but we extended it to everybody. It was a big No No for poor families to decide to take the relatives for treatment in private hospitals because of resources constraint, but with MHIS the whole expenditure of medical treatment has been covered,†Sangma said.
Noting that MHIS is one of the transformations in health sector after the Meghalaya government launched and implemented it, the Chief Minister said, “Not just this health scheme, we have one of the best Intensive Care Units in government hospitals – Ganesh Das hospital and Tura hospital . We have made it slow but steady progress in health care sector.â€