Union Health Minister J P Nadda and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta today launched the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana for the national capital. On the occasion, they distributed Ayushman health cards to the residents of the city. The scheme provides free health cover of five lakh rupees to each beneficiary family per year. The Delhi government will provide an additional top-up of five lakh rupees under the scheme. Last week, the National Health Authority had signed an MoU with the Delhi government to implement this scheme.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Nadda said that Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana is the world’s largest health coverage program, under which 62 crore people are currently benefiting. The Minister further stated that with the implementation of the scheme in Delhi, all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of their socio-economic status, will be covered under the Ayushman Vay Vandana Yojana.

On the occasion, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said, the Delhi government is committed to providing better health facilities to the residents of the city. She mentioned that 1,139 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs will be established under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission. Ms. Gupta also stated that 1,749 crore rupees have been approved for this initiative and announced that 400 Health and Wellness Centres will be opened in the national capital.

During the event, an MoU was signed between the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Government of Delhi for the rollout of the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission. The scheme, a Centrally Sponsored initiative launched in 2021, aims to fill critical gaps in health infrastructure, surveillance, and health research in both urban and rural areas.