Today on Thursday, the Delhi government will distribute health cards to people registered under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY). The cards will be provided to the beneficiaries at 3 pm in an event organised at Vigyan Bhawan. PM-JAY aims to reduce the financial burden of healthcare on economically weaker families across India, which was launched in the year 2018.
Recently, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the National Health Authority (NHA) of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Department of Health and Family Welfare of the Delhi Government. Delhi has officially become the 35th state or union territory to implement this scheme. West Bengal is the only state where this scheme has not been adopted yet.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has announced that the state government will provide an additional health cover of Rs 5 lakh over and above the coverage of Rs 5 lakh under PM-JAY. “Around 6.54 lakh families in Delhi will now be able to avail the benefits of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. Card distribution will be started from April 10, 2025,” she said.
Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh said that on the first day of the launch of the scheme, 400 to 500 beneficiaries will be given cards. Registration facility will be provided through special counters and website. People will be informed about the status of registration and further process through messages on mobile. The Health Minister also clarified that cards will be distributed only after checking all the documents, so that transparency is maintained in the scheme.