In a significant step towards universal health coverage, the West Bengal government is set to join the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) on Monday, becoming the 36th state or Union Territory to implement the world’s largest publicly funded health assurance scheme.
Ayushman Bharat Scheme
In a significant step towards universal health coverage, the West Bengal government is set to join the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) on Monday, becoming the 36th state or Union Territory to implement the world’s largest publicly funded health assurance scheme.
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the implementation of the scheme in the state will be signed at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The agreement will be executed between the National Health Authority (NHA), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, and the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal.
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The Ministry described the development as a major milestone in India’s journey towards ensuring equitable and accessible healthcare for all citizens.
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The MoU signing ceremony will be presided over by Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda. Among those expected to be present are West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Ayush Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilisers Anupriya Patel, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Agarwal, and other senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the National Health Authority and the Government of West Bengal.
Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY provides health insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to eligible beneficiaries.
Since its launch, the scheme has become a key pillar of India’s healthcare system, helping reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses and improving access to quality treatment through an extensive network of empanelled public and private hospitals.
The implementation of AB PM-JAY in West Bengal is expected to provide financial protection against catastrophic health expenditure to millions of eligible beneficiaries in the state. It will also enable seamless portability of healthcare benefits across the country, allowing beneficiaries to access treatment outside their home state.
Officials said the move would further strengthen West Bengal’s healthcare ecosystem by expanding access to affordable and quality healthcare services while advancing the goal of universal health coverage.
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