BJP will stop RGHS if voted to power: CM

Jaipur: Chief minister Ashok Gehlot took a dig at the BJP manifesto on Friday targeting the health scheme proposals saying that the Opposition will end Rajasthan Government's Health Scheme (RGHS) if it comes to power in state. The CM wrote on X, “Promise in BJP's manifesto - government employees, pensioners and contract workers will be covered under Ayushman Bharat Yojna, i.e., if BJP comes to power then RGHS will be closed."Gehlot further wrote that “In Ayushman Bharat, insurance of Rs 5 lakh is available only on hospitalisation. Whereas OPD and medicines are not free. OPD, IPD, medicines are all free in our RGHS scheme. Chiranjeevi insurance of Rs 25 lakh is free for contract workers.” He also targeted BJP for not mentioning of ‘old pension scheme' in their manifesto. “There is no mention of OPS in this resolution letter which shows their intention. The decision is yours," he wrote.Like other state schemes, Rajasthan Government Health Scheme is a beneficial health insurance plan that covers ministers, MLAs, ex-MLAs, All India Services, serving and retired employees of state government and of State Autonomous Bodies. All RGHS beneficiaries will have access to the cashless medical facility based on the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) package rates as per the applicable medical rules for the respective RGHS category.Ayushman Bharat, which is a flagship scheme initiated by BJP-led Central government, was launched as recommended by the National Health Policy in 2018. It provides a cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization across public and private empanelled hospitals in India. It covers up to 3 days of pre-hospitalization and 15 days post-hospitalization expenses such as diagnostics and medicines.Earlier this year, the Congress-led government extended the free universal health care scheme in the state from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh per family. "There is an upper limit upto Rs 30,000 and the medicines, OPD visits, hospital admissions are all free. In Rajasthan, people usually do not opt for Ayushman Bharat because the RGHS scheme is good enough to cover the basic requirements. This is one such scheme in which the ministers and common people - all come under one roof. We too feel that if the BJP comes to power then there is a high chance that RGHS might come to an end," said Vinod Kumar, state coordinator, New Pension Scheme Employees Federation of Rajasthan.