By A M N / New Delhi
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar today launched AYUSHMAN SAHAKAR scheme. The scheme is a unique way to assist cooperatives play an important role in creation of healthcare infrastructure in the country. AYUSHMAN SAHAKAR scheme has been formulated by the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).
Mr. Tomar announced that NCDC would extend term loans to prospective cooperatives to the tune of 10 thousand crore in the coming years. He said that the ongoing pandemic has brought into focus the requirement of creation of more facilities. NCDC’s scheme will be a step towards strengthening farmers welfare activities by the Central Government.
Speaking on the occasion Managing Director of NCDC Sundeep Nayak said that the NCDC fund would give a boost to the healthcare services operated by the cooperatives in the country.
NCDC’s Ayushman Sahakar scheme aims at bringing transformation in the health services primarily in the rural areas. The scheme also provides working capital and margin money to meet operational requirements of the health facilities. It provides interest subvention of one percent to women majority cooperatives.
Under the scheme, to be launched by Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Monday, the NCDC will give loans totalling ₹10,000 crore to prospective cooperatives to set up healthcare facilities.
The NCDC set up under the Ministry of Agriculture in 1963 has, till date, financed various cooperative initiatives aggregating ₹1.57-lakh crore.
Ayushman Sahakar specifically covers establishment, modernization, expansion, repairs, renovation of hospital and healthcare and education infrastructure encompassing:
- Hospitals and/ or Medical/ AYUSH/ Dental/ Nursing/ Pharmacy/ Paramedical/ Physiotherapy Colleges for running UG and /or PG programmes,
- Yoga Wellness Centre,
- Ayurveda, Allopathy, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy and other traditional medicine healthcare centres,
- Health care services for elderly,
- Palliative care services,
- Health care services for Persons with Disabilities,
- Mental healthcare services,
- Emergency Medical Services / Trauma Centre,
- Physiotherapy centre,
- Mobile Clinic Services,
- Health Club and Gym,
- AYUSH pharmaceutical manufacturing,
- Drug testing laboratory,
- Dental care centre,
- Ophthalmic care centre,
- Laboratory services,
- Diagnostics services,
- Blood Bank / transfusion services,
- Panchkarma/ Thokkanam/ Kshar sutra therapy centre,
- Regimental Therapy of Unani (Ilaj Bil Tadbeer) centre,
- Maternal health and Childcare services,
- Reproductive and Child Health services,
- Any other related centre or services as may be deemed fit by NCDC for assistance,
- Telemedicine and remote assisted medical procedures,
- Logistics health, healthcare and education,
- Information and Communication Technology related to digital health,
- Health insurance accredited by Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA).
The scheme also provides working capital and margin money to meet operational requirements. The scheme provides interest subvention of one percent to women majority cooperatives.