Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Y.S. Sharmila on August 14 (Wednesday) said the TDP-led coalition government in the State should explain to the people why services under the Aarogyasri healthcare scheme were being stopped.
Addressing a press conference, Ms. Sharmila said the private network hospitals in the State offering free services under the scheme had thrown up their hands citing pending bills worth ₹3,000 crore.
Recalling that former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had introduced Aarogyasri for the welfare of the poor who could not afford medical expenses at private hospitals, she said many States had replicated the healthcare model. She said release of funds for implementation of Aarogyasri scheme was stopped by the government from September last year.
Alleging shortage of funds for implementation of fee reimbursement scheme also, Ms. Sharmila said the government should effectively implement schemes that were beneficial to the poor and the needy without looking at who introduced them.
Referring to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s claims that he very well realised the precarious financial position of the State and that he would handle everything based on his 40-year experience, she asked why was the government unable to address the crisis on the healthcare scheme now.
Demanding immediate steps to hold talks with the network hospitals who were a part of the Aarogyasri scheme and release at least some part of the pending bills, she said the Congress party would resort to a State-wide protest if the government failed to do so.
Published - August 15, 2024 04:21 am IST
