A NEW KING FOR KALINGA

As the BJP prepares to assume Odisha's reins, ending Naveen Patnaik's 24-year reign, it needs to demonstrate how it plans to improve governance and accelerate development

- Arkamoy Datta Majumdar

On June 6, two days after Odisha dealt a shocking defeat to the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), ending Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s 24-year rule, chief secretary Pradeep Jena released a video message assuring the state’s people about the continuance of the outgoing government’s flagship health scheme, the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY). Jena was forced to come up with the clarification following media reports that several hospitals refused to honour the BSKY cards, turning away patients.

This sense of uncertainty, believe experts, is likely to be the primary challenge that the incoming BJP government will have to tackle as it starts off. The burning question on everyone’s lips is whether it will uphold the welfare initiatives pioneered by Naveen. This intrigue is fuelled by the hints dropped by various state BJP leaders, including their president Manmohan Samal, suggesting a potential adoption of the central Ayushman Bharat health scheme at the state level.

“BJP leaders have not categorically said that they will stop the BSKY. However, people are afraid that this may happen if Ayushman Bharat is implemented. Many hospitals have stopped accepting the card,” says Sandeep Sahu, an independent political analyst. On June 5, Samal, who unsuccessfully contested the Chandabali assembly seat, told the media that Ayushman Bharat is a populist scheme and will be implemented so that the 15 million Odias staying outside the state can also avail of its benefits.