Centre launches Rs. 10,000-crore health care scheme

  Union Minister of State for Agriculture Parshottam Rupala launched a new scheme, Ayushman Sahakar, under which the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) would extend term loans of Rs 10,000 crore to cooperatives for creating healthcare infrastructure in rural India. There are about 52 hospitals across the country run by cooperatives. They have cumulative bed strength of more than 5,000. The NCDC fund would give a boost to provision of healthcare services by cooperatives, NCDC Managing Director Sundeep Nayak said. In a statement, the government said any cooperative society with suitable provision in its byelaws to undertake healthcare related activities would be able to access the NCDC fund. The NCDC assistance will flow either through the state governments or directly to the eligible cooperatives. Subsidy/ grant from other sources can be dovetailed. After the virtual launch, the minister said, “The ongoing pandemic has brought into focus the requirement of creation of more facilities. The NCDC’s scheme will be a step towards strengthening farmers welfare activities by the central government.” The NCDC would extend term loans of Rs 10,000 crore to prospective in the coming years under the scheme, which would revolutionize the way healthcare delivery takes place in rural areas, an official statement quoted the Minister.