SHILLONG: Pooja Thapa, a resident of Umsning, has become the “one croreth beneficiary” of the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat Scheme.
Thapa, a home-maker, not only received help for her operation but also a chance to interact with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for four-and-a-half minutes on phone.
The audio in Hindi was later tweeted by Modi with the message, “During my official tours, I would interact with Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries. Sadly that is not possible these days but I did have a great telephone interaction with Pooja Thapa from Meghalaya, the 1 croreth beneficiary.”
Modi’s tweet was later retweeted by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.
Thapa had to undergo a surgery at Nazareth Hospital on Tuesday to remove the stones in her urinary tract. Her husband is in army and currently posted in Manipur.
“I knew about the scheme. I am fine now… My small children are with my neighbours,” she told Modi.
“I would always meet the beneficiaries but that is not possible now due to COVID-19. But the 1 croreth beneficiary is significant and I thought I should speak to Pooja Thapaji, who is also from an army family,” Modi told her.
During the conversation, Modi asked her whether she received all facilities under the scheme and also sought suggestions to better it. Thapa said the scheme helped her in the operation and it is also covering expenses for medicines. “I did not have to pay anything.”
Thanking the prime minister, Thapa said she has no suggestions to give and other people in her neighbourhood also know about the central health scheme.
