Port Blair, Aug. 14: The BJP State President, Shri R. Mohan has reminded the Lt. Governor, A&N Islands of the scheme wherein free treatment was provided to the poor islanders, if such treatment was not available locally. In a letter to the Lt. Governor Mohan said, “You may be aware that during the NDA regime there was a scheme to refer the patients to Mainland when there is no specialized treatment facility to treat the patient and the cost of such treatment is borne by the Department on creation of a fund called National Illness fund. But, due to reasons unknown the facility has been withdrawn during the present UPA regime”.

The Scheme was introduced by the then Prime Minister Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee with the sole intention to help the needy below poverty line islanders in cases of serious illness and has saved many valuable lives of the poor. The intention of the present regime regarding the poor islanders is quite clear by withdrawing the fund, Mohan said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has thus urged the Lt. Governor to take up the matter with the apex level for getting the same sanctioned once again in the interest of the islanders.