Letter to BS: PM's Ayushman scheme a precursor to Indian health care system

The choice of the six states for the pilot programme is wise

Your front page story “Ayushman on rollout in six states on I-Day” (August 14), by Veena Mani and Nivedita Mookerji is music to the ears. Every Indian is waiting for a universal health care programme and this may well be the precursor to that. 

To say that the health care system in India is in a pathetic state would be an understatement. People are already groaning under the escalating costs of private health care providers and sad state of affairs in the government hospitals and dispensaries. The burden of disease is growing, the increase in the number of old people