Governance, Good Health, and Well-Being: A Study of Swasthya Sathi Prakalpa in West Bengal

In 2015, the United Nations pledged to achieve peace and prosperity for people and the planet through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a blueprint of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This has redefined the scope and activity of institutions and administration, particularly in the South Asian region. This chapter explores the changing dimensions of administration and governance in West Bengal, India, using the state-sponsored health insurance policy (Swasthya Sathi Prakalpa). The policy ensures a basic health cover of up to approximately USD6,000 per annum per family, challenging the neoliberal idea of a rolling back state. The study aims to evaluate the impact of the scheme among direct beneficiaries, using simple random sampling. The respondents were selected by simple random sampling, and the findings were used to evaluate the merits and loopholes of the policy. The aim is to see how the scheme, which promises affordable healthcare services, is working toward creating inclusive societies, providing access to justified good health and well-being for all, and building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels in the state.