Irani flays TRS govt for not implmenting PMJAY-AB scheme

Union Minister Smriti Irani Thursday slammed the TRS government in Telangana for opting out of the PMJAY-Ayushman Bharat, saying it had not understood the importance of the health insurance scheme which provides a cover of Rs five lakh per family annually.

Addressing a Mahila Sankharavam women public meeting organised by BJP at Chegunta village in Siddipet district, the Union Minister of Textiles accused the ruling TRS of failure to implement central schemes properly.

"I am asking...do we need such (PMJAY) schemes for us ? If you say yes, then ask KCR (chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao) why he opted out of the scheme, she told the gathering.

The Telangana government has said it was not joining "as of now" the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana-Ayushman Bharat, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 23, citing the state's Aarogyasri scheme which covers nearly 80 lakh families effectively.

Irani said the Prime Minister had launched the scheme keeping in view better health of people and it would cover 50 crore people of 10 crore families.

"But unfortunately, the TRS government did not understand the importance of this scheme which provides Rs 5 lakh health cover for 1,300 illnesses, including cancer and tuberculosis," Irani said.

Referring to the dissolution of the state assembly, the union minister alleged that the Rao was going for early polls with an aim to benefit his family members and protest self interests.

Highlighting Centre's welfare schemes, she said for the first time in the country the Modi-led Government had been implementing paid maternity leave of six months for women.

The government was now giving cooking gas cylinders to over five crore poor families free of cost under the Ujjwala Yojana scheme, she said.

Hitting out at the state government for not celebrating September 17 as "Hyderabad Samsthan Liberation Day," she said some of the political parties were forgetting the glorious history of the region.

She said the BJP-led NDA Government was working towards the betterment of women dependent on handlooms.

Telangana BJP president K Laxman also spoke.