Ayushman Sahakar Scheme

Objective:

• To assist the provision of affordable and holistic healthcare through hospitals/healthcare/education facilities by cooperative societies.
• To assist the promotion of AYUSH facilities by cooperative societies.
• To assist cooperative societies to meet the objectives of National Health Policy.
• To assist cooperative societies participate in the National Digital Health Mission.
• To assist cooperative societies provide comprehensive healthcare including education, services, insurance and activities related thereto.

Eligibility:

Any Cooperative Society registered under any State/ Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act in the country, with the suitable provision in the bye-laws to undertake services related to hospital/ healthcare/ health education, shall be eligible for the financial assistance subject to fulfillment of guidelines under the scheme.

Salient features

• It is a scheme of National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) for financial assistance to cooperatives on holistic healthcare infrastructure, education and services.
  • The NCDC was established by an Act of Parliament in 1963 as a statutory Corporation under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
  • Functions:
    • NCDC is involved in planning, promoting, coordinating, and financing of cooperative development programs at the national level.
    • It provides financial and technical support to cooperative institutions of farmers and other weaker sections associated with agriculture and allied rural economic activities.
• NCDC Ayushman Sahakar Fund: The NCDC would extend term loans to the tune of Rs.10,000 Crore to prospective cooperatives, including those formed by fresh graduates in any stream of medicine including AYUSH and other traditional practices.
• Working capital and margin money to meet operational requirements.
• Interest subvention of 1% to women majority cooperatives.
• Loan Period: Period of loan will be for 8 years, including 1- 2 years moratorium.
• The new scheme hopes to promote entrepreneurship among medical graduates who are willing to form a cooperative and serve in rural areas.
• The scheme aligns itself with the focus of the National Health Policy, 2017, covering the health systems in all their dimensions- investments in health, organization of healthcare services, access to technologies, development of human resources, encouragement of medical pluralism, affordable health care to farmers, etc.