Congress, BJP spar over Himcare scheme
The Mukhya Mantri Himachal Health Care Scheme (HIMCARE) is a health insurance scheme in Himachal Pradesh that provides cashless treatment coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per year per family.
Lashing out at BJP on the issue of the Himcare health scheme, the chief minister accused the previous BJP government of misusing public money.
'The BJP misused Himcare funds, squandered them on private hospitals, and created irregularities in billing. We have already released ₹550 crore for the scheme and will ensure that poor and needy patients get treatment,' Sukhu said while speaking in the house in response to the question of BJP MLA from Nachan in Mandi district, Vinod Kumar.
Dissatisfied with the government's reply on the Himcare scheme in the state Assembly on Tuesday, the Opposition staged a noisy protest and left the house, accusing the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government of ruining the free healthcare facility started by the previous BJP regime.
The uproar began during the Question Hour when BJP MLA Vinod Kumar raised the issue, alleging that under the Himcare scheme, people were not receiving treatment benefits in hospitals and were being forced to mortgage their valuables to pay for medical expenses. 'When questions are asked, the government says the scheme is running, but the reality in hospitals is completely different,' he charged.
Responding to the allegations, Health Minister Dhaniram Shandil said that the scheme was burdened with pending liabilities of ₹364 crore.
As the chief minister stood to speak about prevailing corruption in the Himcare scheme during the previous BJP government led by Jai Ram Thakur, the BJP MLAs amid loud sloganeering moved out of the house.
'Large-scale irregularities were seen in the scheme and the present government was trying to rectify,' said Chief Minister while adding 'The scheme was marred with corruption and Himcare is very much in operation in the state. We have started mapping and we are improving the same.'
While speaking to the media persons outside the assembly, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur accused the government of shutting down free treatment for the poor.
'The government has ended free healthcare for the poor. People are being forced to mortgage their jewellery to get treatment. When this issue was raised in the Assembly, the ministers and even the Chief Minister laughed. I have never witnessed such inhuman behaviour. Health and education in the state have sunk to the lowest level ever,' Thakur said.
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