The Ayushman Sahakar Scheme was launched by the Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on 19 October 2020. The scheme aims to assist the cooperatives in the nation to help them play a vital role in shaping the health care infrastructure in the nation.
Points covered:
- Ayushman Sahakar Scheme: Key Points
- Know National Development Cooperative Development Corporation
- What more?
Ayushman Sahakar Scheme: Key Points
- The scheme has been formulated by the National Cooperative Development Corporation, which is also aligned to the National Health Policy 2017.
- Objective: The scheme has the aim to bring transformations in the health services across the country, with the main focus on rural areas. The scheme also aims to strengthen GoI’s farmer welfare activities.
- Under the scheme, loans of Rs 10,000 crores will be given by NDCD to the cooperatives. The loans will include working capital and financial assistance for meeting the operational requirements of the health sector.
- The scheme will utilise the funds to assist cooperative hospitals.
- The scheme further provides 1% interest aid to the cooperatives where the majority of the staff is women.
- The scheme will cover medical insurance, health insurance, paramedical education and nursing education.
- The scheme also includes AYUSH health system.
- Ayushman Sahakar scheme fund will also assist cooperative hospitals to take up medical and Ayush education.
Know National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)
- The National Cooperative Development Corporation, which operates under the Ministry of Agriculture and Family Welfare, was established under the NCDC Act, 1963.
- NCDC is responsible for planning, promoting and financing programmes relating to agricultural produces’ storage, processing, import, marketing and export.
- All the rural industrial cooperative sector projects are financed by NCDC. Government of India (GoI), allocates the funding to NCDC for market borrowing and international assistance.
What More?
NCDC chief said “We will be covering Ayush, homoeopathy, drug manufacturing, drug testing, wellness centres, Ayurveda massage centres, and drug stores. We would also support education initiatives such as medical and dental colleges and those offering nursing and paramedical education. The only thing is that they should be a cooperative.”
