Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the state government to ensure that benefits under Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana and other Central health schemes reach the eligible beneficiaries under Banarpal community health centre (CHC) in Angul.
The rights body delivered the order while hearing a petition filed by human rights activist Manoj Jena based on a report published in Orissa POST. The NHRC has asked the Chief Secretary to take appropriate steps within eight weeks from the receipt of the order.
As per sources, the Banarpal CHC had failed to provide medicines to the card holders who are entitled to get medicines up to Rs 30, 000 under Rashtirya Swasthya Bima Yojna. In case the hospital where the card holder is undergoing treatment does not have the required medicine, the authorities are required to procure the medicine from outside. But the cardholders in Banarpal block have been deprived of such benefits for the last two years.
While there are about 30, 000 BPL beneficiaries in the block, 20, 000 of them have cards and are eligible to get free health services. But the beneficiaries visiting the CHC allege that they are not getting any benefits even though they have cards.