Delhi has become the 35th State/UT to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), following an MoU between the National Health Authority (NHA) and the Delhi Government. West Bengal remains the only state yet to adopt the scheme.
About Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY
- Launched: 23rd September 2018
- Aim: To provide accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare to vulnerable populations
- Recognized As: World’s largest health assurance scheme
Key Features
Healthcare Coverage:
- Offers free and cashless treatment for 1,961 medical procedures across 27 specialities
- Includes: Hospitalisation, Medicines, Surgeries, ICU care, Diagnostics
Financial Coverage:
- Annual cover up to ₹10 lakh per family – ₹5 lakh from Central Government and ₹5 lakh top-up from State/UT Government
- Ayushman Vay Vandana Yojana: ₹5 lakh free health cover for senior citizens (70+ years), irrespective of socio-economic status
Implementation & Governance
- Nodal Agency: National Health Authority (NHA) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). It is responsible for policy formulation and execution of AB PM-JAY
Reach and Impact
- Target: Cover 12 crore families (~55 crore beneficiaries), i.e., 40% of India’s population
- Impact: Out-of-pocket health expenditure has reduced from 62% (2014) to 38% (present). It has enabled wider access to secondary and tertiary care for economically weaker sections