Delhi implements Ayushman Bharat scheme in deal with Centre, card distribution from April 10 | India News
NEW DELHI: The Delhi government, under BJP leadership, has partnered with the central government to bring the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) to the national capital.
By signing an agreement on Saturday, Delhi became the 35th state/Union Territory to adopt this health scheme, leaving West Bengal as the sole non-participating state.
The healthcare programme offers complimentary treatment covering 1,961 medical procedures across 27 specialities, including medicines, diagnostics, hospital stays, intensive care, and surgical interventions.
Qualifying Delhi households will receive yearly health insurance worth Rs 10 lakh, split equally between central and Delhi government contributions at Rs 5 lakh each.
The agreement was formalised between Delhi authorities and the National Health Authority, with Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta attending the ceremony.
Speaking after the MoU signing, Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta claimed that the move rectifies a long-standing gap in healthcare access for Delhi’s residents. “The people of Delhi were victims of the previous state government’s confrontation with the Centre. While the rest of the country was benefiting from Ayushman Bharat, people here were left struggling for treatment,” she said.
“It is a matter of happiness for Delhi. The Delhi government will add Rs 5 lakh to the Rs 5 lakh coverage provided by the Centre, offering a total health insurance cover of Rs 10 lakh for eligible households,” she added.
The National Health Authority serves as the principal organisation overseeing the Ayushman Bharat health insurance programme’s implementation.
A dedicated drive will commence to register eligible beneficiaries following the agreement’s execution.
The BJP, which assumed control in Delhi this February after a 26-year interval, sanctioned the scheme’s implementation during its inaugural cabinet session following the February 20 swearing-in of CM Gupta and her ministerial colleagues.
