Naveen launches Niramaya scheme

Odisha Channel Bureau Bhubaneswar, May 1: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today launched the Niramaya scheme under which the State Government will provide 570 different medicines free of cost in government hospitals.Patnaik launched the initiative at a function held the Capital Hospital here in presence of Health and Family Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and other dignitaries.Initially, Niramaya will be implemented in three government-run medical colleges and hospitals, 30 district headquarters hospitals besides Capital Hospital and Rourkela government hospital.The ambitious scheme was simultaneously launched at various district headquarters hospitals by Ministers and other dignitaries.The State Government has allocated Rs.200 crore for the free medicine scheme in this year’s budget.The scheme will be run by the Odisha State Medical Corporation Ltd (OSMCL).The free drug distribution scheme will be extended to sub-divisional hospitals, PHCs and other government-run hospitals subsequently.The Chief Minister had launched the Aahar scheme to provide meals at Rs.5 during lunch time to urban poor in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Rourkela and Sambalpur on April 1.