Centre, Delhi Ink INR 2,406 Cr MoU to Strengthen Health Infrastructure; PMJAY Rollout Begins

The announcement came alongside the rollout of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) health card distribution in Delhi.

The Centre and the Delhi government have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to implement the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM ABHIM) in the national capital, with a proposed allocation of INR 2,406 crore.

The announcement came alongside the rollout of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) health card distribution in Delhi.

Delhi Chief Secretary Dharmendra stated, “Approximately INR 2,406 crore will be allocated for improving health infrastructure in Delhi under PM ABHIM.” According to the government, the funding will be utilized to construct 1,139 urban Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs), 11 integrated public health laboratories, and nine critical care hospital blocks.

The distribution of PMJAY health cards has commenced in Delhi. The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, JP Nadda, and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta handed over cards to the first 20 beneficiaries, including ASHA workers.

PMJAY to Provide INR 10 Lakh Annual Health Cover

The Delhi government aims to register around 2.5 lakh families under the PMJAY in the initial phase of enrolment, which began on April 10. The state government has allocated INR 2,144 crore for the scheme in its Budget.

An official from the Delhi health agency stated, “Under PMJAY, each family in Delhi will be entitled to INR 5 lakh annual coverage. Additionally, the Delhi government will contribute INR 5 lakh, raising the total annual health insurance cover to INR 10 lakh per family.”

The PMJAY, launched nationally in 2018, aims to provide secondary and tertiary healthcare coverage of INR 5 lakh per family per year to over 550 million individuals. Eligibility is determined based on deprivation and occupational criteria from the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 for rural and urban regions.

The same official added, “The scheme covers 1,961 treatment packages across 27 medical specialties, applicable in over 30,000 empaneled hospitals across India. In Delhi, 46 private hospitals, 38 state-run hospitals, and 11 central government hospitals have joined the empanelment list under PMJAY.”

35 States and UTs Now Onboard

With Delhi’s participation, the PMJAY scheme is now operational in 35 states and Union Territories. West Bengal remains the only state yet to join.

Health officials emphasized that the MoU and scheme rollout aim to improve healthcare accessibility and affordability in urban Delhi. The integrated health infrastructure development under PM ABHIM and the expanded insurance coverage under PMJAY are expected to support a large urban population segment.

No further announcements regarding timelines for full-scale implementation or additional partnerships were made at the event.