The much hyped medical insurance scheme Deen Daya Swashtya Seva Yojana (DDSSY) of the Goa Government has finally been launched on 1 September 2016, for cashless treatment of 447 procedures. The government has empanelled 24 private hospitals in Goa and outside apart from Goa Medical College and 2 district hospitals and the scheme is given to United India Insurance for implementation. Entitlement Rs 2.50 lacs for a family of 3 members, Rs 4 lacs for a family of 4 members and above.
Needless to mention it appears very attractive and needless to mention private hospitals do honour cashless treatment when a reputed Insurance Co. is involved.
The Government of Goa had launched medical insurance for all Goans in 2011 Swarnajayanti Aarogya Vima Yojana, cards were issued in 2012 after the BJP government was sworn in March 2012 but the designated private hospitals refused to accept insurance cards of the scheme just months after in January 2013 with a valid reason that there is backlog of payment from the Government of Goa and eventually the scheme was withdrawn by the government. Quite surprisingly the Government of Goa did not even send a letter of regret to the holders of the medical insurance. Such an action amounts to taking the electorate for granted. In 2011 it was when Assembly elections were around the corner and the DDSSY medical insurance now is again launched when Assembly elections are closer. Why the government did not come with such a scheme a year back? And why the government is coming with an offer of LED bulbs just when elections are round the corner?
India is a land of the masses even though we have made substantial progress in practically all the fields but the fact remains the living standard of the masses has not improved proportionately. The world media describes the poverty in India as those living below 2 US dollars a day. The gap of income between the rich and the poor is widening year by year and such an unhealthy ratio often leads to violence and can even lead to revolutions. Goa is not much different from rest of India. Goans have been easily fooled by the past governments promising heaven on earth with many election promises which were soon rolled back. Governance has not been people- friendly and people-oriented. Prices of utilities like water and power have been hiked many times. Vox populi was not given an ear over many legislations, inspite of the electorate voicing their concern over the media.
In a democracy Vox populi is essential as the government is elected with the active participation of the people themselves or it can be termed as dictatorial. The electorate or the writers write with the might of their knowledge not to criticise but to counsel the government.
The Government should avoid burdening the common man to fund this mega medical insurance by finding appropriate ways and the scheme should not become redundant like the one of 2011.
