West Bengal has become the 36th State and Union Territory in the country to implement Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. With this, the scheme has been implemented across the country. It provides health cover of up to five lakh rupees per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to eligible beneficiaries.
National Health Authority and the Government of West Bengal signed a Memorandum of Understanding in New Delhi today for the implementation of the scheme in the State. The MoU was signed in the presence of Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
In his address, Mr Nadda said, Ayushman Bharat is the biggest health coverage scheme of the world. He took on the then TMC Government for depriving health facilities to people of the state under the scheme. Mr Nadda described the occasion as a historic moment not only for West Bengal but also for the country’s journey towards Universal Health Coverage.
The Minister highlighted that beneficiaries under the scheme have availed over 12 crore treatments worth more than 1.82 lakh crore rupees, providing substantial financial protection to poor and vulnerable families. He noted that one of the most significant outcomes of the Government’s efforts has been the reduction in out-of-pocket expenditure on healthcare, which has declined from 64.6% before 2018 to 43.4% today.
Mr Adhikari said, Ayushman Bharat scheme will benefit the people of West Bengal even if they reside outside the state. He expressed gratitude to the Health Ministry for releasing 527 crore rupees to West Bengal, which will further support healthcare infrastructure and service delivery across the State.
Union Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel said, Ayushman Bharat is not merely a health scheme but a transformative initiative that has brought financial protection and healthcare security to millions of vulnerable families across India.
The implementation of Ayushman Bharat scheme in West Bengal will extend financial protection against catastrophic health expenditure to millions of eligible beneficiaries in the State. It will also strengthen the State’s healthcare ecosystem by enhancing access to quality and affordable healthcare services.
The development marks a major milestone in the journey towards achieving equitable and accessible healthcare for all citizens across the nation. Under the scheme, more than 36,000 government and private hospitals are empanelled and more than 44 crore Ayushman cards have been issued till date across the country.
Since its launch, the scheme has emerged as a cornerstone of India’s healthcare transformation, reducing out-of-pocket expenditure and improving access to quality treatment through a vast network of empanelled public and private hospitals.
