Government schemes must prioritize easy accessibility: Jayaprakash Hegde

Team Udayavani, Apr 21, 2024, 9:35 AM IST

Mudigere: Congress candidate K. Jayaprakash Hegde stressed the importance of ensuring that government schemes are easily accessible to the general public.

In his campaign speech delivered in Harihara village of Mudigere taluk, Hegde highlighted the challenges faced by ordinary citizens in accessing health insurance facilities provided by the central government. Hegde emphasized the need for simplification of the process to ensure smoother access to healthcare benefits.

 Simplified Health Card needed:

Expressing the difficulties faced by individuals seeking treatment in private hospitals under government assistance schemes, Hegde proposed the issuance of a simplified health card by the government.

“Those in need of government assistance for health problems now need to obtain a letter of recommendation from a government hospital to receive care in private hospitals. In many cases, obtaining a bed there is difficult. In emergencies, lakhs of rupees need to be borrowed for treatment. To alleviate these issues, the government should issue a simplified health card. Moreover, government programs should be effectively implemented to prioritize health and employment,” he said.

He stressed the importance of streamlining procedures to facilitate prompt access to medical care, particularly during emergencies.

‘Congress delivered its promises’

Hegde lauded the efforts of the Congress party in Karnataka, citing the successful implementation of election guarantees.

“In Karnataka, the Congress government led by Siddaramaiah and DK Sivakumar has fulfilled the guaranteed promises made before the election. The Congress party has earned the distinction of walking the talk. At that time, some people did not believe it. But now, because everyone is receiving benefits of the guarantees, people are fully confident,” he said.

“If the Congress-led government comes to power at the Centre, the farmers will receive guarantees. Congress guarantees have been announced to implement projects that will benefit all sections of society, including students, youth, and women, and the commitment has been kept,” he said.

Hegde the discrepancy between promises made by the BJP-led central government and their actual implementation. “Central government has completely failed to deliver on its promises made before earlier Lok Sabha elections.  Through the Mahalakshmi scheme, it promised Rs 1 lakh for women, farmers’ loan waivers, student loan waivers, and most importantly, they said that they would provide Rs 25 lakh insurance to every family, but they have not fulfilled it.”

He contrasted this with the Congress-led state government’s efforts in establishing medical colleges and providing free treatment through insurance. “But the state government is building a medical college. You can receive free treatment by showing your insurance card. There is no need to pay any money,” he said.

Reiterating Congress’s commitment to fulfilling promises made to the people, Hegde urged voters to trust in the party’s pledges for the future. He recounted his own experiences as a minister, where he actively engaged with local communities to address issues and deliver solutions.

Former MLA Kumaraswamy, Nage Gowda, and other party leaders showed their support for Hegde during the campaign event.

MLA Nayana Motamma’s Endorsement

MLA Nayana Motamma reinforced Hegde’s statements, highlighting the tangible benefits brought about by Congress-led initiatives, including provisions for rice distribution and financial support for youth. Motamma affirmed Congress’s commitment to ongoing development efforts in the constituency.