Over 650K families may benefit if Delhi joins Ayushman Bharat cover

According to a parliamentary response by the Union Health Ministry in 2023, around 6.5 lakh families in Delhi are eligible

Over 654,000 families in Delhi, who are eligible for inclusion under the Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), are likely to benefit if the new government opts to join the Centre's flagship health insurance scheme.

 

According to a parliamentary response by the Union Health Ministry in 2023, around 654,000 families in Delhi are eligible to enrol under the scheme.

 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had promised to implement PMJAY in its manifesto for the recently-concluded Delhi Assembly elections. 

 

“In our first Cabinet meeting, we will implement the central government’s Ayushman Bharat Yojana, to provide free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh. The state government will provide Rs 5 lakh additional cover to all poor families,” the party had stated in its manifesto. 

 

 

If Delhi joins the programme, then West Bengal will be the only state, which is not part of the scheme.

 

“Whatever has been promised in our manifesto, we are committed to delivering one hundred per cent. This has been made clear by the Prime Minister and all our senior leaders. It is PM Modi’s guarantee,” BJP spokesperson Gopal Krishna Aggarwal said.

 

The incoming government may also look to implement another manifesto promise of providing health cover up to Rs 10 lakh, along with free OPD and diagnostic services to all senior citizens above 70 years, irrespective of income.

 

According to the India Ageing Report 2023, Delhi is projected to have over 1.9 million senior citizens.

 

Currently, the AB-PMJAY is implemented in 34 states and Union Territories (UTs) except for Delhi and West Bengal.

 

The non-implementation of the PMJAY was a key issue during the Delhi polls, with several central ministers alleging the then-ruling party of depriving Delhiites of the scheme. 

 

Seven Lok Sabha MPs from the BJP had also filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Delhi High Court, asking the Delhi government to implement the health insurance scheme.    

 

On its part, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which was in power earlier, had vehemently opposed implementation of the PMJAY. It said the state’s own scheme, Delhi Arogya Kosh (DAK), was far more robust than the central scheme.

 

In its response to the PIL, the Delhi government had contended that the PMJAY would only benefit 12-15 per cent of its population. In contrast, the DAK scheme has a “broader and far-reaching effect,” it added.