Availing free treatment under Ayushman Bharat scheme helped 10 lakh people save Rs 3,000 cr: Goyal

Availing treatment free of cost under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY) has helped around 10 lakh people save Rs 3,000 crore since its launch in September, Finance Minister Piyush Goyal said while presenting the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

He said the government has been providing drugs at cheaper prices through Jan Aushadhi stores and lakhs of poor and middle-class people are also benefiting from reduced prices of essential medicines, cardiac stents and knee implants.

"Earlier, a poor man used to be in dilemma whether to fulfil daily needs of the family or save the life of an ailing member. This situation has deeply pained our prime minister. We launched the world's largest healthcare programme, Ayushman Bharat, to provide medical treatment to nearly 50 crore people," Goyal said.

"Already close to 10 lakh patients have benefited for medical treatment which would have cost them Rs 3,000 crore through free treatment made available under the scheme."