Congress Announces Health Insurance Scheme with Rs 25 Lakh for Delhi Residents Ahead of Delhi Elections
Congress promises Rs 25 lakh health insurance coverage for Delhi residents under the 'Jeevan Raksha Yojana' ahead of the 2024 Delhi Assembly elections, aiming to address healthcare challenges and attract voters.
As the Delhi Assembly elections approach, the Congress party has made a significant promise to the residents of the national capital.
On January 8, the party unveiled its second major poll pledge — the ‘Jeevan Raksha Yojana,’ a comprehensive health insurance scheme aimed at offering Rs 25 lakh coverage to all residents of Delhi.
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Details of the Jeevan Raksha Yojana
The scheme was announced at a press conference attended by senior Congress leaders, including former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Delhi Congress President Devender Yadav, and Qazi Nizamuddin. Gehlot emphasized that the ‘Jeevan Raksha Yojana’ is modeled after Rajasthan’s successful Chiranjeevi Yojana, which provides universal health coverage to the state’s residents. According to Gehlot, Rajasthan’s scheme benefits nearly 80-90% of its population, regardless of their financial background, and has been instrumental in improving healthcare access across the state.
Under the Jeevan Raksha Yojana, residents of Delhi will receive full coverage for a wide array of medical services, including costly procedures such as MRIs, CT scans, dialysis, and even organ transplants, with no cap on the total coverage, ensuring that treatment costs exceeding the Rs 25 lakh limit will still be covered. The scheme will encompass both public and private hospitals, providing broad access to essential healthcare services across Delhi.
A Solution to Delhi’s Healthcare Crisis
At the press conference, Devender Yadav highlighted the dire health situation in Delhi, pointing to alarming data on diseases caused by pollution, contaminated air, water, and food. He criticized the current Delhi government for failing to address these issues and noted that the Jeevan Raksha Yojana aims to resolve some of these concerns by providing comprehensive health coverage to all Delhi residents, particularly in the face of deteriorating environmental conditions.
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Additional Congress Poll Promises
This is the second significant welfare scheme that Congress has promised ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections. Earlier, the party announced the Pyari Didi Yojana, which guarantees Rs 2,500 monthly financial support for women in Delhi. Both schemes are part of Congress’ broader strategy to appeal to voters and address pressing issues, particularly in healthcare and women’s empowerment. The party has pledged to implement both programs immediately if it comes to power following the elections.
Delhi Assembly Elections 2024-25: Key Details
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has set February 5, 2024, as the voting date for the 70-member Delhi Legislative Assembly, with the results slated for February 8. The nomination process for candidates will begin on January 10, with January 17 as the last date for filing nominations. The current legislative assembly’s term will end on February 23, 2024. The ECI recently released a revised voter list showing an increase in Delhi’s electorate to 1.55 crore, with a significant rise in new voters.
Congress is hopeful that its promises, including the Jeevan Raksha Yojana, will sway voters in the party’s favor, as the Delhi Assembly elections near. With growing concerns about public health, pollution, and welfare, the party’s proposals are seen as an attempt to offer tangible solutions to the city’s pressing problems.
