The National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) has come-up with a scheme, Ayushman Sahakar, to contain co-operatives in creating healthcare infrastructure.
Under the scheme which will be launched by Agriculture Minister Parshottam Khodabhai Rupala today, the NCDC will provide loans totaling Rs.10,000 crore to the potential cooperatives to arrange healthcare amenities.
NCDC Managing Director, Sundeep Nayak said that “The whole thing was inspired by what successful cooperatives have been doing in the healthcare sector in Kerala. There are many such hospitals in Kerala but my favourite one is in Kochi that has OPDs even in Dubai & Abu Dhabi”.
So far, NCDC has financed around 30 hospitals in Kerala and in total 52 throughout the nation, with a cumulative mattress energy of over 5,000. Unlike in the past, the Corporation will support not just for bedded facilities under this yojana but also cover all aspects of healthcare that come under the World Health Organization (WHO) classification, including Indian systems of medicine, informed Nayak.
Ayushman Sahakar Yojana Benefits
The NCDC chief added “We will be covering Ayush, homoeopathy, drug testing, drug manufacturing, drug stores, wellness centres and Ayurveda massage centres. We will also support education initiatives such as medical & dental colleges and those offering nursing & paramedical education. The only thing is that they must be a cooperative”.
Affordable Health care
One of the conditions for getting credit under the Ayushman Sahakar yojana is that members of a cooperative facility must be given services at discounted rates.
In agreement with the National Digital Heath Mission launched by PM Modi on Independence Day, Ayushman Sahakar yojana would bring a transformation in the rural areas, Nayak told.
Working capital as well as margin money to meet operational needs will be available under the scheme. Interest subvention of 1% is available to women-majority cooperatives.
Nayak said that the NCDC launched a cooperative start-up scheme, Yuva Sahakar, 2 years back. Under the scheme, cooperatives that are just 3 months old gets funding from the NCDC. He told “As our original guidelines go, a cooperative must be 3 years old for getting NCDC finance, for this start-up scheme. Hence, this is a great scheme for start-ups. Besides, if these start-ups are founded by women or those with disabilities then they will get an interest subvention of 2 per cent”.
