Bhubaneswar: The State Government has approved a budgetary allocation of Rs 27,019.25 crore for implementation of centre’s Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and state sponsored Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY) for a period of five years (2025-26 to 2029-30).
The State Cabinet has approved a proposal in this regard during its meeting held last evening, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi informed the State Legislative Assembly on Friday.
The Cabinet has approved a total of 10 proposals from 7 departments including the health insurance scheme.
The State Government, in January this year, had signed a MoU with the National Health Authority (NHA) to implement AB-PMJAY in convergence with the state’s GJAY.
Under the new integrated scheme, 3.46 crore people of about 1.03 crore families will get Rs 5 lakh per family per year and the female members will get an additional cashless treatment benefit of Rs 5 lakh, Majhi said.
In addition, the Centre’s ‘Ayushman Vayo-Vandana Yojana’ will also be implemented in Odisha for all persons aged 70 years and above, irrespective of their economic status. This will enable them to get free treatment worth Rs 5 lakh per family per year, he said.
The beneficiaries will get free treatment in 29,000 registered private and government hospitals across the country. Earlier, the facility was available in only 900 hospitals, he informed.
Shri Majhi said the Odisha government will get central share from the government of India for the implementation of the AB PMJAY.
The Cabinet has also approved the ‘Odisha State Road Policy 2025’, which was designed for effective implementation and monitoring of the road network across Odisha, he stated.
The Chief Minister said the policy will provide a framework for a quality road network, which will ensure a well-organized system for the proper development of roads for safe, sustainable and efficient movement of people and goods.
The Government has also decided to extend the validity of the One Time Settlement Scheme introduced by the Water Resources Department for collection of arrears of water tax of central and state Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), organizations and private industrial, commercial and other establishments till May 31, 2025, he said.
The proposal to expand the scope of ‘Viksit Gaon, Viksit Odisha’ (Developed Villages, Developed Odisha) was also approved by the cabinet.
Among others, the state Cabinet decided to bring amendments to the Odisha District Mining Foundation Rules-2015, Odisha Civil Service (Rehabilition Assistance) Rules, 1990, the Odisha Prevention of Land Encroachment Act, 1972 and Odisha Administrative Service Group-A, (Junior Branch) (Probation and Departmental Examination) Rules, 2014.