NFSA beneficiaries to get treatment up to Rs 5 lakh

CASHLESS MEDICAL FACILITIES

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The State Government is going to provide cashless medical treatment facilities up to Rs 5 lakh annually to ration cardholders under the NFSA (National Food Security Act), 2013.

Following a directive from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the State Health and Family Welfare Department has set a target date of May 2023 for enrolling NFSA cardholders in cashless medical treatment facilities under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana.

The Atal Amrit Abhiyan, Assam, will enroll the NFSA cardholders under the Central Government’s scheme, the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. After their enrollment, the NFSA cardholders will get Ayushman Bharat cards.

This move by the State government will benefit around 50 lakh families holding ration cards under the NFSA. Earlier, the Ayushman Bharat Yojana did not include the NFSA ration cardholders under it.

The State Government took a policy decision recently to increase the maximum annual income for a family to get an NFSA card to Rs 2.50 lakh, compared to Rs 1 lakh earlier. Under this policy decision, the process for the issuance of new ration cards under the NFSA is underway in the state. The NFSA cardholders will have access to cashless medical treatment facilities in government hospitals and some empaneled private hospitals.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Keshab Mahanta has instructed the health officials and deputy commissioners to conduct the enrollment drive of NFSA cardholders under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana smoothly, as the enrollments will have e-KYC (know your customer) connections. The minister has also instructed the deputy commissioners to involve ground-level workers like Asha workers, MPWs (Multi-Purpose Workers), and Anganwadi workers in the door-to-door enrollment drive.

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