“Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission will now help connect digital health solutions across the country. All Indians will now get a digital health ID under this scheme. Every citizens’ health record will now be digitally secure,” the Prime Minister said, underlining that “digitization will make healthcare easier.”

The Health ID of every citizen will also “work as their health account, to which personal health records can be linked and viewed with the help of a mobile application,” says the government. The access and exchange of “longitudinal health records of citizens will be enabled with their consent,” an official statement says.

The newly launched mission “will play a big in eliminating problems in medical treatment of poor and middle class,” PM Modi said this morning in a televised address. “Today begins a Mission that has the power to bring a revolutionary change in India’s health facilities. Three years ago, on Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s birth anniversary, Ayushman Bharat Yojana was implemented. I am happy that Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission is being started nationwide from today on its third anniversary,” the Prime Minister said.

“It is about connecting with the traditions with which we have been associated for centuries. This is World Rivers Day,” he added, World Rivers Day is observed on the fourth Sunday of every September and celebrates the world’s waterways. According to the site dedicated to the day, it highlights the many values of rivers and strives to increase public awareness and encourages the improved stewardship of rivers around the world.

PM Modi also said that proceeds from the ongoing special e-auction of the gifts he receives will be dedicated to the government’s flagship project ‘Namami Ganga’. The government has set up a dedicated site – pmmementos.gov.in – to display and e–auction the mementos that are priced between Rs 100 and Rs 30,000. Visitors to the site can filter through the mementos on the basis of the price range.

The launch date coincided with the International Day of Democracy, the PMO noted.

At launch of Sansad TV, PM Modi said, “This adds another important chapter in our parliamentary system.

In February 2021, the decision to merge Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV was taken and the CEO of Sansad TV was appointed in March 2021.

Sansad TV programming will primarily be in four categories – functioning of Parliament and democratic institution, governance and implementation of schemes/policies, history and culture of India and issues/interests/concerns of contemporary nature.

According to reports, veteran Congress leader Karan Singh, economic Bibek Debroy, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, and advocate Hemant Batra will host different shows on the new channel.

When Parliament is in session, Sansad TV will have two channels so that the proceedings of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha can be aired simultaneously.