Hundreds of Ayushman Cards Found in Garbage Near Collectorate

Over 800 Ayushman cards were found in a garbage heap in front of the Collectorate. Many were half-burnt. People said that the cards had been made, but they never received them. An investigation has now been ordered.

Half-Burned Ayushman Cards: Ayushman cards, which are crucial documents for availing free treatment up to ₹5 lakh in government and private hospitals, have raised questions about their utility after a large number of them were found in a garbage heap in front of the Collectorate in Guna city. Patrika's on-site inspection revealed that some of the Ayushman cards appeared to have been burnt after being discarded in the trash, with some found partially incinerated.

Patrika Investigates

When the Patrika team visited the homes of individuals whose Ayushman cards were found in the garbage, it was discovered that they had submitted their documents to the municipality for Ayushman card applications a year ago but had not received the cards to date. This raises the question of why the cards were not distributed to the people if they had already been processed. The entire situation is now under scrutiny.

People Tell Patrika: We Didn't Even Know When Our Ayushman Card Was Made

The Patrika team picked up some cards from the garbage and began searching based on the names and addresses written on them. One of these cards belonged to Pradeep Chakravarty, a resident of Sisodia Colony. Upon finding him, he stated that he owns a shop named Gift Centre in Sisodia Colony.

Ayushman cards were being made at the Guna Municipality about a year to a year and a half ago. I submitted my documents at the municipality for the Ayushman card. Since then, I have been visiting the municipality repeatedly, but I have not received my Ayushman card to this day. Nor was I ever informed by the municipality that my Ayushman card had been made and was ready for collection. When asked by Patrika if he had any illness, he replied that he had obtained it as a precautionary measure.

Similarly, after searching for over two dozen people including Anjana Bairagi, Jugal Kishore, Satendra Singh, Pancham Lal, Ramsakhi Banjara, Nikhil Ahirwar, Madan Lal Ahirwar, and Sanjana, it was found that they were residents of the Guna urban area. Many of them stated that they had submitted documents to the municipality for their Samagra ID about eight to ten months ago. When asked if they had received their Ayushman card, they said they had no idea when their Ayushman card was made.

Collector Says: Serious Matter, Will Investigate

When Patrika spoke to Collector Kishore Kanyal about this matter, he stated that he was unaware of it. He added, "If Ayushman cards have been made, why were they not distributed, and why were they thrown in the garbage? We will investigate this, and strict action will be taken against whoever is found guilty."

What is the Ayushman Yojana

Under the Ayushman Yojana, benefits are provided by the National Health Authority under the Central Government. Under this scheme, eligible individuals are provided with the facility of treatment up to ₹5 lakh in any private hospital. Under this scheme of the Central and State Governments, four to five private hospitals in Guna district are registered, where anyone can get treatment under this scheme. Under the Ayushman Yojana, benefits are provided only to those individuals who are registered under the BPL scheme or are over 75 years of age.

Ayushman Cards Found Near Aadhaar Centre

When the Patrika team reached the front of the Collectorate on Thursday morning, they found a large number of these Ayushman cards. These Ayushman cards were found in a garbage heap adjacent to the wall of the Aadhaar card centre, located in front of the Collectorate. When the Patrika team picked up these Ayushman cards, many were found burnt and some partially burnt. Their number is over 800. The intention behind burning such a large number of Ayushman cards also gives rise to suspicion.