West Bengal becomes India’s first state to opt out of National Health Protection Scheme “Modi Care”

West Bengal has become the first Indian state to opt out of the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) “Modicare”, which was unveiled in the Union Budget 2018. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Banerjee has stated that West Bengal already has made hospitalization and medical treatment free of cost for its citizens, so it doesn’t see the point of spending on a separate programme that will do the same. Under the provisions of the Modicare, the Centre will contribute Rs 2,000 crore to the scheme, out of a total cost of Rs 5,500 crore to Rs 6,000 crore. State governments are expected to pay the remainder.