Union Minister JP Nadda to Roll Out Ayushman Bharat Health Initiative in Odisha

The initiative aims to provide healthcare benefits to approximately 3.5 Cr people in Odisha, covering 1.3 Cr families.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda is set to launch the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in Odisha on April 11.

This event will also mark the introduction of two additional health schemes, the Ayushman Vayo-Vandana Yojana and the Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY).

The launch will take place in Cuttack, and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and other prominent leaders will attend.

The initiative aims to provide healthcare benefits to approximately 3.5 crore people in Odisha, covering 1.3 crore families.

Beneficiaries will receive cashless treatment in 29,000 empanelled hospitals across India, a significant expansion from the previous 900 hospitals.

Each family will be entitled to annual health coverage of up to INR 5 lakh, with additional benefits for women and elderly members, potentially increasing the coverage to INR 15 lakh per family.

The GJAY will replace the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), which was implemented by the previous state government.

After coming to power in June 2024, the BJP government decided to integrate the GJAY with the AB-PMJAY for a more comprehensive healthcare approach.

People will receive an integrated card for both schemes to access treatment in the impaneled hospitals.

This launch is seen as a transformative step in Odisha's healthcare landscape. It has become the 34th state/UT to implement the AB-PMJAY and to make quality healthcare accessible for economically vulnerable sections of society.

JP Nadda chaired the ninth meeting of the Mission Steering Group (MSG) of the National Health Mission (NHM) in the national capital. The meeting, attended by Union Ministers of State for Health & Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav and Anupriya Patel, senior officials from NITI Aayog, and multiple government ministries, reviewed NHM’s progress and set future targets.

In a similar development, the Ayushman Bharat scheme has rolled out in full force in Delhi starting April 5, marking a significant shift in the capital's healthcare policy under the newly-elected government.

The National Health Authority (NHA) signed an MoU with the Delhi government to formally implement the PM Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) across the Union Territory. The scheme is expected to cover more than 6.5 lakh families listed in the SECC 2011 database immediately.

Stay tuned for more such updates on Digital Health News.