Good news for everyone. Numerous reports indicate that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed in the presence of Union Health Minister JP Nadda, with five families also receiving AB-PMJAY cards. Once these families obtain their cards, they will be eligible for the benefits of the AB-PMJAY scheme. This initiative was a key promise made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the Delhi Assembly elections.
The previous government led by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had introduced its own health scheme and opted not to implement AB-PMJAY. However, the BJP secured victory in the Delhi Assembly elections on February 5, marking their return to power in the city after over 26 years.
AB-PMJAY offers health coverage of ₹5 lakh per family each year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization, benefiting around 55 crore individuals from 12.37 crore families, which represent the economically disadvantaged 40% of India’s population. On October 29, 2024, the central government expanded AB-PMJAY to include free treatment benefits of up to ₹5 lakh annually for all senior citizens aged 70 and above, irrespective of their socio-economic background.
With the launch of the Ayushman Bharat Insurance Scheme (Ayushman Bharat Yojna) in Delhi, the city will become the 35th state or union territory in India to embrace this initiative. According to official sources, the Delhi government plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Health Authority on the 18th to roll out the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). Following this implementation, West Bengal will be the only state left that has not adopted the scheme.