Ayushman Bharat: How will Bengal's joint implementation with Centre work?

The concluding part of the series analyses the hurdles in West Bengal ahead of the mega health scheme launch

At 3.30 pm at Howrah General Hospital, an elderly woman is the lone applicant for Swasthyasathi, the mass health insurance scheme of the West Bengal government. Most days, only four to five people turn up to apply. But that’s not a concern for officials. The  scheme at Howrah has already met 95 per cent of its target. The latest enrolment drive is purely to ‘mop up’ people, like the woman who turned up that day, who have slipped through the net.

Rather, the concern of Swasthyasathi officials these days is that, with the Centre declaring September 25 as the roll