Context: ₹10,000-cr. scheme for agricultural cooperatives to set up health infra in rural areas

• The National Cooperative Development Corporation, an autonomous institution under the Agriculture Ministry, rolled out the Ayushman Sahakar scheme to extend term loans worth ₹10,000 crore to co-ops for the next five years.
• Its primary motive is improve accessibility to healthcare for farmers in rural areas.
• Ayushman Sahakar specifically covers establishment, modernization, expansion, repairs, renovation of hospitals and healthcare and education infrastructure.
• The scheme also provides working capital and margin money to meet operational requirements.
• The scheme provides interest subvention of one percent to women majority cooperatives.
• NCDC would extend term loans to prospective cooperative societies to help them play an important role in creation of healthcare infrastructure in the country.
• NCDC’s scheme will be a step towards strengthening farmers welfare activities by the Central Government.
• NCDC’s 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.

In line with the National Digital Health Mission, NCDC’s Ayushman Sahakar would bring transformation in rural areas.

NCDC assistance will flow either through the State Governments/ UT Administrations or directly to the eligible cooperatives. Subsidy/ grant from other sources can be dovetailed.

Eligibility: Any Cooperative Society with suitable provision in its byelaws to undertake healthcare related activities would be able to access the NCDC fund.

NCDC

• It was set up under an Act of Parliament in 1963 for promotion and development of cooperatives.
• Since 1963, it has extended around Rs.1.60 lakh crores as loans to cooperatives.
• It is an autonomous body under Ministry of Agriculture.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/10000-cr-scheme-for-agri-coops-to-set-up-health-infra-in-rural-areas/article32893507.ece

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