Bengal minister alleges large-scale fraud in previous health scheme
Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee claimed the BJP government detected corruption of Rs 25-30 crore in the Swasthya Sathi scheme.
West Bengal Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee on Friday alleged that the previous TMC regime's Swasthya Sathi health insurance scheme involved large-scale financial irregularities. Mukherjee stated that the BJP government has identified corruption amounting to Rs 25-30 crore.
The minister said the discrepancies were discovered while the government was reviewing the database. This review occurred as officials prepared to provide coverage to eligible people through Ayushman Bharat and the Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana.
Mukherjee claimed the former government spent approximately Rs 30 crore every year on insurance premiums for cards with unverified beneficiaries. He alleged that millions of beneficiary cards were untraceable or fake.
The minister further alleged that fake information was provided at various levels, involving fraudulent doctors, hospitals, patients, and beneficiaries. He described these findings as only the tip of the iceberg of corruption.
The BJP government has started a forensic audit and is examining the scheme's database to determine the full extent of the irregularities. Mukherjee also noted that discrepancies were found during the verification of beneficiaries under the previous government's Lakshmir Bhandar scheme.