Any Cooperative Society in the country can develop healthcare infrastructure with the launch of Ayushman Sahakar, a unique scheme to assist affordable and holistic healthcare through hospitals / healthcare / education facilities by cooperative societies.
Ayushman Sahakar scheme was rolled out by the Centre at providing assistance to cooperatives in creation of healthcare infrastructure in the country formulated by the apex autonomous development finance institution under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC). Minister of State for Agriculture Parshottam Rupala launched the scheme on October 19.
In line with National Digital Heath Mission, NCDC’s Ayushman Sahakar would bring transformation in rural areas where the cooperative sector has a strong base. Any Cooperative Society with suitable provision in its byelaws to undertake healthcare related activities would be able to access the NCDC fund. NCDC assistance will flow either through the State Governments/ UT Administrations or directly to the eligible cooperatives. Subsidy/ grant from other sources can be dovetailed.
Objectives
- a) To assist provision of affordable and holistic healthcare through hospitals / healthcare / education facilities by cooperative societies,
- b) To assist promotion of AYUSH facilities by cooperative societies,
- c) To assist cooperative societies meet the objectives of National Health Policy,
- d) To assist cooperative societies participate in the National Digital Health Mission,
- e) To assist cooperative societies provide comprehensive healthcare including education, services, insurance and activities related thereto.
Activities Covered
- Infrastructure:
For creation, modernization, expansion, repairs, renovation of hospital, healthcare and education infrastructure covering
- a) All types of infrastructure for:
- i) Hospitals and/ or Medical/ AYUSH/ Dental/ Nursing/ Pharmacy/ Paramedical/ Physiotherapy colleges for running UG and /or PG programmes,
- ii) Yoga Wellness Centre,
iii) Ayurveda, Allopathy, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy other traditional medicine healthcare centres,
- iv) Health care services for elderly,
- v) Palliative care services,
- vi) Health care services for Persons with Disabilities,
vii) Mental healthcare services,
viii) Emergency Medical Services / Trauma Centre,
- ix) Physiotherapy centre,
- x) Mobile Clinic Services,
- xi) Health Club and Gym,
xii) AYUSH pharmaceutical manufacturing,
xiii) Drug testing laboratory,
xiv) Dental care centre,
- v) Ophthalmic care centre,
xvi) Laboratory services,
xvii) Diagnostics services,
xviii) Blood Bank / Transfusion services,
xix) Panchkarma/ Thokkanam/ Kshar sutra therapy centre,
- xx) Regimental Therapy of Unani (Ilaj Bil Tadbeer) centre,
xxi) Maternal health and Childcare services,
xxii) Reproductive and Child Health services,
xxiii) Any other related centre or services as may be deemed fit by NCDC for assistance.
- b) Telemedicine and remote assisted medical procedures,
- c) Logistics health, healthcare and education,
- d) Information and Communication Technology related to digital health,
- e) Health insurance accredited by Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA)
2) Margin money for raising working capital required for day-to-day operations in respect of those mentioned in the para1 above. 3) Working capital for day-to-day operations.
NCDC assistance shall be provided either through the State Governments/ UT Administrations or directly to the cooperatives which fulfil NCDC Direct Funding guidelines. Dovetailing with other schemes or programmes of Government of India/ State Government/ Other funding Agency is permitted.
The scheme also provides working capital and margin money to meet operational requirements. The scheme provides interest subvention of one percent to women majority cooperatives.
NCDC was set up under an Act of Parliament in 1963 for promotion and development of cooperatives. Since 1963, it has extended around Rs.1.60 lakh crore as loans to cooperatives.
