Hyderabad: Demanding the restoration of Aarogyasri welfare scheme with immediate effect by clearing the hospital dues running into crores of rupees, YSR Congress party (YSRCP) has said the welfare measure would benefit the poorer sections of society and it had given the state the status of a role model in medicare.

The flagship welfare scheme started by late Chief Minister Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy was emulated by other states in the country but the State Government has watered it down putting the poor people in hardships, party MLA G Srikanth Reddy told reporters here on Monday.

‘The state has stopped the scheme as it owes private hospitals over Rs 500 crores and has been neglecting the welfare scheme which has been the lifeline to the marginalised sections of the society.

The dues were accumulated as there were no kickbacks and it was identified with Dr. YSR and nearly 90,000 claims are pending, some of them even serious ailments.

With the stopping of Aarogyasri scheme about 35 lakh employees would be thrown out of jobs and the negligence has been very pronounced, he said.

Our leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has promised to infuse life into the Aarogyasri scheme by making it more beneficial to the society and has included it in the Navaratnas which will be part of the manifesto, he said.

Chandrababu Naidu has been neglecting the people of the state and has been on a touring spree to other states to pursue his personal interests, he said.

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