In Jammu and Kashmir, in a major relief for patients suffering from life-threatening diseases, the Union Territory Government has amended the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) Scheme guidelines, allowing MLAs to use a portion of their annual CDF allocation for medical assistance to economically weaker families. Under the revised guidelines, each MLA can allocate up to 20 lakh rupees annually from the CDF to provide financial assistance to patients belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and other notified economically weaker sections.

The Government has fixed the maximum assistance at 5 lakh rupees for organ transplantation, 2.75 lakh rupees for cancer treatment and 1 lakh rupees for patients with chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis. Financial assistance may also be extended for other diseases notified by the Government.

The order stipulates that financial support will be provided only for the uncovered portion of treatment expenses after beneficiaries have exhausted all eligible assistance available under existing schemes, including PM-JAY SEHAT, the Medical Aid Trust (MAT) and the Cancer Treatment and Management Fund for the Poor (CTMFFP).

To ensure transparency and prevent misuse, the sanctioned amount will be paid directly to empanelled hospitals or medical institutions instead of the beneficiaries.

The amendment is expected to provide significant financial relief to economically weaker families struggling to meet the cost of treatment for critical illnesses.