
Reactivate medical financial assistance scheme: Puducherry CM tells health department
At present, the government is implementing the PM-JAY under Ayushman Bharat Health insurance scheme, which is confined to poor and elderly persons. With the Universal Health Insurance scheme planned by the government covering all the people of the union territory yet to materialise, the CM has instructed for the revival of PMRS.
A high-level review meeting on the progress of the Puducherry Government's health department was held on Tuesday at the Legislative Assembly under the chairmanship of the chief minister. The meeting focused on evaluating existing schemes and identifying areas needing urgent attention.
CM Rangasamy directed officials to immediately fill all vacant posts in the department to improve efficiency and service delivery.
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Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Veeramangala school in Puttur recognised as best PM-SHRI school in DK
Mangaluru: The DK ZP Govt Higher Primary School in Veeramangala, Puttur, which operates even on Sundays, was recognised as the 'Best PM-SHRI School' of Dakshina Kannada (DK). Dharmendra Pradhan, Union education minister, announced this during the Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam 2025 in New Delhi to commemorate five years of NEP-2020. During the event, he announced about 613 Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) best-performing schools, one from each district, 24 best KVS, one from each region, and seven best NVS, one from each region. In DK, Veeramangala School was recognised for meeting all parameters of the PM SHRI school. The district has a total of 17 PM -SHRI schools. Tharanath PS, the headmaster of the school, said that they were able to implement all parameters, including pedagogy and assessment, curriculum, beneficiary satisfaction, access and infrastructure, human resources and school leadership, inclusive practices, and gender equity, among others. "Our school was selected in the first phase, and in the last two years, we made progress in several areas with the help of teachers, students, parents, SDMC, and locals," he said. Listing some of the initiatives adopted by the school, Tharanath said that they are a green school with best practices in science and mathematics learning, yoga, computer training, indoor and outdoor activities, a vegetable garden, a medical garden, sports activities, and an outdoor exposure programme. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like U.S. Cardiologist Warns Aging Seniors About Blueberries for Breakfast GundryMD Learn more Undo "Yoga training is one of our recognised programmes, where there are teams who participated in several events. Under the exposure programme, students visited paddy fields, arecanut farms, apiculture farms, and several places such as historical and science-related sites in the region. Students also actively participated in dozens of programmes jointly organised with the local community," he said, adding that the open library of the school is open to all, including villagers, which is also a unique initiative. The school continues to work throughout the week, even on Sundays. Tharanath said that Sundays are dedicated to extracurricular activities such as dancing, school band training, Bharatanatyam, and Yakshagana. "It is a voluntary programme, and there is no force to attend it. Therefore, the school continues to open even on Sundays," he said. The school currently has 169 students with eight permanent and five guest teachers. Ravichandra, president of the SDMC, said that the school was assessed by the ZP CEO, DDPI, and BEO. They later submitted the report to the govt for recognition. Lokesh SR, BEO, Puttur, said that the school has been actively implementing all programmes by involving all stakeholders. The recognition has given a much-needed push to do better programmes in the coming days.


Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Digital Health Must Work Even Where Infrastructure Is Low: MediBuddy CEO
New Delhi: As the race to dominate India's digital healthcare space intensifies, public-private partnerships are emerging as a key differentiator in an increasingly crowded market. Exploring synergies to augment public healthcare delivery through tech infrastructure, particularly in diagnostics, digital consultations, and chronic care management , will be critical, informed Satish Kannan, Co-founder and CEO Medibuddy . Speaking exclusively to ETHealthworld Kannan said the company is actively aligning with national health missions and expanding across India's hinterlands, including tier 3 and 4 cities, to ensure deeper healthcare access. 'In India, it's not just about building healthcare for urban India—it's also about Bharat. We operate across 22,000+ pin codes, and our systems are designed to work even where digital literacy and infrastructure are low," he said. Asked about players like Tata 1mg, Apollo 24/7, and PharmEasy competing in the same arena, Kannan believes that the real differentiator lies in execution. 'Yes, it's a crowded space. But the moat is not just in what we offer, it's in how reliably we deliver, how we build long-term trust, and how we support users through their entire healthcare journey,' he noted. He dismissed the notion of healthcare as a winner takes all market. 'Our focus is on affordability, continuity of care, and personalization at scale. That's what makes a real difference.' Underlining the role of AI as a force multiplier in driving accessible healthcare, he said, 'AI helps in triaging, symptom assessment, diagnostics, and matching users with the right specialists. It's not a replacement for doctors, it augments clinical decision-making,' he explained. Informed that their AI-backed platforms support end-to-end services, ranging from virtual consultations across 20+ specialties to medicine delivery, diagnostics, chronic care management, mental health support, and even IPD (in-patient department) assistance. 'We have built a horizontal digital healthcare platform—something that connects consultations, diagnostics, IPD, and health checkups. This seamless integration allows us to scale affordably while maintaining quality,' said Kannan. Emphasising the importance of public-private partnerships (PPPs) as India advances digital health missions like ABDM and PM-JAY, he said, 'No single entity can address India's healthcare needs alone,' he said. 'The government has the reach and trust, while private players bring innovation and execution power. It's a natural synergy.' MediBuddy is already in talks with government stakeholders to extend its technology infrastructure, particularly in diagnostics, digital consultations, and chronic care, to public health initiatives. Mentioning that post-pandemic, the company is seeing a sharp uptick in demand for preventive healthcare space, he said, 'There's growing awareness around early diagnostics, wellness solutions, and chronic care,' said Kannan. 'We don't want to be in the sick-care business alone. We want to be a partner in long-term health assurance.' "From AI-driven care plans to real-time health monitoring, we are aiming to shift the focus from reactive to proactive healthcare, ensuring personalised engagement at every step," he added.


Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Odisha Health Minister says over 2.6 lakh treated under Ayushman Bharat, Gopabandhu Yojana schemes since April
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling has highlighted the state's performance under the Ayushman Bharat and Gopabandhu Jana Arogya Yojana schemes, saying more than 2.6 lakh people have received treatment since April 11. He said Odisha ranks second in the country in terms of enrolment under Ayushman Bharat and accused the opposition of spreading misinformation about the scheme's performance. "Under the Ayushman Bharat and Gopabandhu Jana Arogya Yojana, over 2.6 lakh people have received treatment and benefited within the last three months since its launch on April 11 this year. Odisha ranks second after Uttar Pradesh in terms of enrollment under the Ayushman Bharat scheme... This is a strong slap to the opposition, which had claimed that Ayushman Bharat was not functioning properly in the state. Odisha has secured the second position in providing benefits under both Ayushman Bharat and the Gopabandhu Jana Arogya Yojana," Mahaling told ANI. He credited the success of the schemes to the state government's commitment to healthcare. On April 11, Union Minister JP Nadda launched the 'Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana', 'Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana', and 'Ayushman Vaya Vandana Yojana' in Cuttack, in the presence of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. According to the National Health Authority, Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY is the largest health assurance scheme in the world, which aims at providing a health cover of Rs five lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to over 12 crores poor and vulnerable families (approximately 55 crore beneficiaries) that form the bottom 40 per cent of the Indian population. Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Odisha government's flagship 'Subhadra' scheme in Bhubaneswar. Under this scheme, eligible women in Odisha aged 21 to 60 years will receive Rs 50,000 over five years, from 2024-25 to 2028-29. The amount will be disbursed as Rs 10,000 annually in two equal installments, directly credited to Aadhaar-linked, DBT-enabled bank accounts.