Jeevandaayi Aarogya Vima Yojana 'dying', claims RTI activist

The effective implementation of Maharashtra Government's Rajeev Gandhi Jeevandaayi Aarogya Vima Yojana has been hampered owing to the "careless" attitude of the officials concerned, an RTI activist has claimed.

"The scheme was introduced this year with fanfare and spending of crores of rupees. But due to carelessness of state government functionaries, this scheme is dying before getting into the hands of needy people," Anil Galgali said.

Galgali, chairman of Athak Seva Sangh, has made the remarks on the health insurance scheme in a letter to Maharashtra Chief Secretary J K Banthia and T C Benjamin, Additional Chief Secretary (Health).

Health Department sought the help of the Rationing department to get income details of the beneficiaries and prepared the cards, Galgali said. "In March, 2012, the state government dispatched lakhs of cards to all ration offices across the city. In April cards were handed over to Aaganwadi women social workers to distribute them door-to-door," he said.

The distribution of work was properly done till September but then it was again handed over to respective rationing offices without any reason, he said. Almost 70 per cent cards are still lying at rationing offices, Galgali said. "The health department's poor planning and mismanagement are the main reasons why this system is stuck," Galgali said.