MHA targets pan India launch of 'Ayushman CAPF' scheme by May 2021

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New Delhi [India], February 24 (ANI): Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has finalised a deadline to launch the 'Ayushman CAPF' scheme across the country in May. The scheme was first launched by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in only Assam on January 23 this year.

All Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) officials and serving personnel and their dependents from seven forces--Assam Rifles, Border Security Force ( BSF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), National Security Guard (NSG), and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), along with their families, will be covered under the scheme.

According to sources, in the last meeting that took place last week, MHA decided to launch the scheme at a national level by May this year.

"Last week a meeting was held to discuss the launch of Ayushman CAPF at the national level. Target is to launch this scheme at the national level by May this year. This will be completely cashless and limitless facilities for jawans and their families," said a senior MHA official on the conditions of anonymity.

The official informed that a database that is in the process now, will be provided to the National Health Authority, which will be further linked with all hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

"Doctors from across India can access this data and check the details of CAPF. A card will be given to everyone as identification," they said.

They also claimed that this scheme will bear OPD bills for CAPFs, the benefit that is not available for the general public.

"Currently, this facility is only available in Assam and launched there as a pilot project. In the meeting, gaps were noticed by officials in the pilot project and there were discussions to resolve them. A committee dedicatedly working on this project headed by a Joint Secretary level officer. CAPFs doctors and paramedics have been asked to give suggestions before launching it at the national level," the official stated.

They added that all hospitals will treat CAPFs jawan and their families and send the details to the National Health Authority.

"Government of India will take care of the hospital bills. For the general public, this scheme comes with a capping of Rs 5 lakh but for CAPFs, it will have no capping," they said.

The official informed that Ayushman CAPF is a convergence scheme that is being implemented on the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY IT platform and is initiated to provide cashless or reimbursement-based healthcare services to serving personnel of all seven CAPFs and their dependent family members.