No Centre share in Bijucare, clarifies Odisha government

Bhubaneswar: Amidst the ongoing tussle between the Centre and Odisha over their respective universal healthcare coverage schemes, Odisha Health Department clarified that there will be no contribution from the central government towards State government's Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY).

Earlier in the day, Additional Chief Secretary of Odisha Finance Department, Tuhin Kant Pandey in a press conference had informed that an amount of Rs 700 crore will be contributed by the central government towards BSKY.

While Rs 1375 crore will be spent by the State government towards BSKY, the Centre will spend Rs 700 crore raising the total amount to Rs 2075 crore, Pandey had informed.

However, the Health Department later clarified that the Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, inadvertently mentioned about Rs 785 crores central assistance under National Health Mission.

"The State government will be spending Rs 1003.52 crores for the BSKY in the current financial year. Therefore, it is reiterated that there is no central government support to the BSKY which is fully funded by the State government out of its own resources," the Health Department clarified. .

The tug of war between the Centre and the State has intensified recently after Odisha Health Minister Pratap Jena had claimed that the Centre's scheme Ayushman Bharat is of no use for residents of Odisha.

On the other hand, Union Health Minister J P Nadda had said that it is not good that people of Odisha are being deprived of the facilities which are being provided under Ayushman Bharat scheme.