New Delhi: The Delhi government is set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Health Authority (NHA) on March 18 to roll out the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), as reported by news agency PTI.
With this development, Delhi will become the 35th state or Union Territory to adopt the central healthcare scheme, leaving West Bengal as the only state yet to implement it.
"The MoU will be signed in the presence of Union Health Minister JP Nadda, and five families will receive their AB-PMJAY cards, officially recognizing them as beneficiaries," PTI quoted sources as saying.
Fulfilling a Key Election Promise
The implementation of AB-PMJAY was a major campaign commitment of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the recent Delhi Assembly elections. The previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had opted for its own healthcare model and refrained from adopting the scheme.
Following the BJP’s decisive electoral win on February 5, which marked the party’s return to power in Delhi after 26 years, the new administration has taken swift steps to fulfil its promise of providing cashless healthcare services.
The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana is the world’s largest publicly funded health insurance program. It provides financial coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family annually for secondary and tertiary hospital care. The scheme benefits nearly 550 million people from 123.7 million economically weaker families, covering the lowest 40% of India's population.
On October 29, 2024, the central government expanded the scheme to include senior citizens aged 70 and above, ensuring free medical treatment up to Rs 5 lakh per year, irrespective of their economic status.
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Eligibility and Coverage
Families classified as economically vulnerable under SECC 2011 data are eligible. Senior citizens above 70 years are automatically covered.
The scheme includes over 1,500 medical procedures, such as cardiac surgeries, knee and hip replacements, cancer treatments, and chronic disease care. Treatment is cashless and paperless at empanelled hospitals across the country.
How to Avail the Scheme?
Eligible individuals can verify their status and apply through the Ayushman Bharat portal or designated enrollment centres. Upon registration, beneficiaries receive an e-card that facilitates cashless treatment at network hospitals.
Both government and private hospitals are empanelled under the scheme to provide healthcare services. With the implementation of AB-PMJAY in Delhi, residents will soon be able to access extensive healthcare benefits under this nationwide initiative.
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