Chandigarh: The Punjab government on Thursday formally launched the Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme, offering free medical treatment of up to ₹10 lakh to every family in the state. The scheme was inaugurated at the Vikas Bhawan auditorium in Phase 8, Mohali, by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal, who distributed health cards to beneficiaries.
Senior AAP leaders, including Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain, Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora, along with several MLAs, party leaders and workers, were present at the event.
Addressing the gathering, Mann and Kejriwal said the scheme would benefit around 65 lakh families, covering nearly three crore residents of Punjab. Under the programme, beneficiaries will be entitled to cashless treatment in both government and private hospitals across the state.
They said registration for the scheme has begun from Wednesday and beneficiaries will be able to avail treatment as soon as the registration process is completed. The scheme includes around 2,500 treatment packages covering a wide range of ailments, including heart and kidney diseases, knee replacement surgeries, maternity care and other major procedures.
According to the government, nearly 95 per cent of hospitals in Punjab have been empanelled under the scheme. Payments for treatments will be settled within 15 days through United India Insurance Company.
During their speeches, Mann and Kejriwal also highlighted the Punjab government’s achievements over the past four years, claiming that work equivalent to more than 75 years in the health and education sectors had been accomplished in a short span. They reiterated their commitment to strengthening healthcare and education, and to making Punjab free from drugs and gangsterism.
AAP leaders Satyendar Jain, Dr Balbir Singh and Sanyam Agarwal also addressed the gathering. The leaders used the occasion to launch sharp attacks on the Shiromani Akali Dal, Indian National Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
