Naveen Patnaik — an election-ready politician

Five-time Odisha Chief Minister is known to keep reminding people of his welfare schemes

Thrice in the past one month, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has gone public with the announcement, launch and distribution of smart health cards under the (BSKY). He is likely to attend two more district-level smart health card distribution programmes in this month itself.

Like the ₹2-rupee-rice scheme launched by the government in 2009, the health card system is touted to be another game-changing welfare programme in the CM’s political journey. It is obvious that the BJD supremo won’t let it go like any ordinary welfare scheme. Wherever the events marking the distribution of the cards are organised, the Biju Janata Dal makes sure that Ministers and party MLAs remain present there in large number.

Distribution of the cards is scheduled to be held in Balangir on September 22. The three meetings there are likely to be made grand affairs akin to impressive public meetings organised in the run up to any election.