Domestic industry bodies and health sector majors have reacted positively to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan.
During his Independence Day speech, PM Modi said, “It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get access to good quality, affordable healthcare.” Modi said the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan will positively impact 50 crore people by extending healthcare coverage to them.
The President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Rakesh Bharti Mittal said, “The announcement of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Abhiyaan for health under the Ayushman Bharat scheme from September 25 is a milestone for the nation. With access to quality healthcare for 500 million people, the country will be able to make huge progress as people will feel secure and confident about their lives.”
Founder and Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group, Prathap C Reddy said, “The Prime Minister’s Jan Arogya Abhiyan is a call to arms to the medical fraternity to rise to the occasion and work towards easing the healthcare woes of crores of Indians. The technology backbone of Ayushman Bharat will help ensure streamlining of the process of healthcare delivery to those who need it most.”
“As the first step towards Universal Health Coverage, this is a pivotal moment in the country's healthcare journey that will require the entire healthcare ecosystem, public and private, to work with a collective sense of purpose and synchrony. The Apollo Hospitals group will support this initiative,” Reddy added.
Industry bodies also reacted favourably to the PM’s comments on India’s economic growth trajectory. FICCI President, Rashesh Shah said, “The Prime Minister's confidence in India leading the fourth industrial revolution, which will be knowledge-based, is an opportunity for Indian industry to show its real potential.”
“The reforms initiated in the last few years, including RERA, IBC and GST, have started yielding results, and there is no doubt the continuance of the reform mode will usher in a high-growth phase going ahead. This will certainly strengthen India's position in the global economy,” he added.
CII, too, reiterated the growing confidence globally in the Indian growth story and emphasised that India would continue to lead in different areas, including the Fourth Industrial Revolution.