Guj polls: Congress promises free health for middle class

Aggressively pushing its campaign in the poll-bound Gujarat, Congress on Tuesday announced a slew of sops, including a free health coverage plan for middle class families, if the party is voted to power.

The scheme promising coverage of health expenses to the tune of Rs 2 lakh is the part of the Congress' 12-point 'Gujarat People Development Vision-2012'. The different health-related measures were announced by the state Congress president Arjun Modhwadia accompanied by opposition leader Shaktisinh Gohil and chairman of election campaign committee Shankarsinh Vaghela at a press conference here.

Modhvadia said if Congress won the Assembly polls, due by year-end, it would constitute Gujarat Medical Service Corporation (GMSC) on lines of Rajasthan to facilitate affordable medicine to the people.

 

"Moreover, about 250 essential and 50 life saving drugs as suggested by the World Health Organisation would be provided free of cost," he said.

"We also promise free health coverage for up to Rs 2 lakh for every middle class family...About 70 per cent reduction in their medical expenditure and increase the per capita health expenditure in the state beyond the national expenditure," Modhvadia said. He alleged the Modi government in its 17-year rule "ignored" the health of the common people and instead worked in a manner to "get the corporate entities in the pink of health".