Why is KCR unwilling to bring Covid under Arogyasri?

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee on Thursday attacked Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for backtracking on his promise of including Covid-19 under Arogya Sri scheme.

In a statement, TPCC treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy said that KCR had given an assurance on the floor of Telangana Legislative Assembly on September 9 that he would consider including Covid-19 treatment under Aarogyasri scheme.

“Even after two weeks, there has been no action in this regard. Covid-19 cases in Telangana have touched 1.80 lakh mark and so far, as many as 1,070 people lost their lives. When will KCR react? Is he waiting for the Covid cases figure to touch one million mark or is he waiting for the death toll to cross one lakh?" he asked.

The Congress leader said the Covid-19 pandemic had apparently reached Stage-3 in Telangana State. Even after six months, there are no signs of any slowdown in Covid-19 cases despite manipulation of real figures by the State Government.

He said many middle-class and poor people were not coming forwards to test themselves for Covid-19 with the fear of how they would manage treatment if found positive. The fear of lack of facilities in public hospitals and exorbitant bills in private hospitals were keeping away a majority of people from getting themselves tested for Covid-19 despite them having mild symptoms. 

"This behaviour will change if the State Government offers free treatment for Covid-19 by including under Aarogyasri scheme," he said.