New Delhi: Approximately 3.35 crore beneficiaries of 1.03 crore families of the State will be covered under the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
Union Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav informed this in Lok Sabha today.
In a written reply to a question of BJP MP Pradeep Purohit, the Union Minister said an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on January 13, 2025 between National Health Authority (NHA) and State Government for the implementation of Ayushman Bharat scheme. About 3.35 crore beneficiaries of 1.03 crore families of the State will be covered under the scheme, he said.
Further, 17.32 lakh beneficiary families of senior citizens of age 70 years and above irrespective of their socio-economic status will also be benefited under AB-PMJAY with Ayushman Vay Vandana Card, Jadhav said.
Under the central scheme, currently, financial assistance in the form of free healthcare access up to Rs 5 lakh per eligible family per year is being provided, for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization in 27 different medical specialties through a network of around 30,000 empanelled health care providers, he informed.
To create awareness among the people of Odisha about, the Health Minister said AB-PMJAY has a comprehensive media and outreach strategy to spread awareness and empower beneficiaries for their rights and entitlements more prominently in rural and backward areas.
This includes advertising over traditional media platforms including newspapers, community radio, street plays, digital displays, radio campaigns, mass messaging, and telecast of beneficiary testimonials via Doordarshan etc.
In addition to this, State Health Agencies have also engaged the wide network of frontline workers i.e., ASHAs, AWWs and VLEs (Village Level Entrepreneurs) who are pivotal in creating mass awareness at the grassroot level, he added.
Further, the government has issued directions to the states to undertake extensive IEC activities to raise awareness about the scheme.
When Purohit asked about funding under the scheme, Jadhav said the funding of AB-PMJAY is entirely demand driven. NHA releases funds for scheme implementation to the States/UTs on the basis of the actual demand received from them. There is no State/UT–wise allocation of funds.
As per the defined process, States/UTs are required to furnish a Utilization Certificate of previously received funds prior to every new fund release. The Central share of funds is released to the implementing States and Union Territories (UTs) on the basis of premium discovered or actual claims amount (depending upon the mode of scheme implementation in the State/UT) corresponding to eligible AB-PMJAY families.