New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): In a landmark event towards achieving universal health coverage and ensuring seamless access to quality healthcare for every eligible citizen across the country, West Bengal today became the 36th State/Union Territory to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).
Marking the culmination of nationwide adoption of the flagship health assurance scheme, the National Health Authority (NHA), under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal, for the implementation of AB PM-JAY in the State, according to a release.
The MoU signing ceremony was presided over by Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers, in the presence of Suvendu Adhikari, Chief Minister of West Bengal; Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers; Punya Salila Srivastava, Union Health Secretary; Manoj Kumar Agarwal, Chief Secretary, West Bengal; and senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, National Health Authority and the Government of West Bengal.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Sunil Kumar Barnwal, Chief Executive Officer, National Health Authority, and Narayan Swaroop Nigam, Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal, the release stated.
Addressing the gathering, JP Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, described the occasion as a historic moment not only for West Bengal but also for the country’s journey towards Universal Health Coverage.
Congratulating the Government of West Bengal on joining AB PM-JAY, JP Nadda stated that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY was launched in September 2018 and has since emerged as the world’s largest government-funded health assurance programme.
The Union Health Minister highlighted that beneficiaries under the scheme have availed over 12 crore treatments worth more than Rs 1.82 lakh crore, providing substantial financial protection to poor and vulnerable families. He noted that one of the most significant outcomes of the Government’s efforts has been the reduction in out-of-pocket expenditure on healthcare, which has declined from 64.6 per cent before 2018 to 43.4 per cent today, the release stated.
Emphasising the impact of the scheme, Nadda stated that AB PM-JAY has enabled timely access to quality healthcare through a cashless, paperless and fully digital platform. Referring to findings published in The Lancet, he noted that nearly 90 per cent of eligible cancer patients under the scheme were able to access treatment within 30 days, demonstrating the programme’s role in improving timely healthcare access.
Nadda further observed that the portability feature of PM-JAY would be particularly beneficial for migrant workers from West Bengal and their families. He stated that beneficiaries working or residing in other States would be able to access cashless treatment at nearby empanelled hospitals across the country, ensuring continuity of healthcare wherever they may be.
The Union Health Minister also appreciated the Government of West Bengal for launching the HPV Vaccination Programme on 30th May 2026 for adolescent girls aged 14 years. He noted that the initiative would play an important role in preventing cervical cancer and informed that over 33,000 girls have already been vaccinated under the programme out of the targeted 7.65 lakh beneficiaries, the release stated.
Speaking at the Occasion, Suvendu Adhikari, Chief Minister, West Bengal, expressed gratitude to the Government of India for its continued support towards strengthening healthcare delivery in the State. He noted that under the National Health Mission, the Government of India has recently released Rs 527 crore to West Bengal, which will further support healthcare infrastructure and service delivery across the State.
The Chief Minister welcomed the implementation of AB PM-JAY in West Bengal and stated that approximately 1.24 crore eligible families in the State will now be able to avail health coverage under the scheme, ensuring greater financial protection and access to quality healthcare services, the release stated.
Shri Adhikari also highlighted the State Government’s commitment to preventive healthcare and noted that while over 7.5 lakh HPV vaccine doses had been allocated under previous government, the vaccination programme had now been launched by the present Government to protect adolescent girls against cervical cancer. He expressed confidence that the initiative would contribute significantly towards improving women’s health outcomes in the State.
Referring to the Government’s efforts under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, the Chief Minister stated that awareness and sensitization activities have been undertaken extensively, with more than 80% of public representatives, including Members of Parliament and Members of the Legislative Assembly, already sensitized towards the goal of eliminating tuberculosis.
He further emphasized that initiatives such as PM-JAY and the network of Jan Aushadhi Kendras would together strengthen healthcare access for poor and vulnerable families by ensuring affordable treatment and low-cost quality medicines, the release stated.
Congratulating all stakeholders on this landmark development, Shri Adhikari said that the implementation of AB PM-JAY would mark a significant step towards the vision of a “Swasth Bengal, Swasth Bharat.”
Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers, described the signing of the MoU as a historic milestone for West Bengal and a significant step towards the realization of Universal Health Coverage in the country. She stated that AB PM-JAY is not merely a health scheme, but a transformative initiative that has brought financial protection and healthcare security to millions of vulnerable families across India.
She noted that Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, the world’s largest government-funded health assurance scheme, today covers more than 62 crore people, including poor and vulnerable families, senior citizens aged 70 years and above, and gig and platform workers.
Highlighting the achievements of the scheme, she informed that more than 44 crore Ayushman Cards have been created and over 12 crore hospital admissions have been authorized under the programme, with women accounting for nearly half of the beneficiaries availing treatment.
Patel stated that with the implementation of AB PM-JAY in West Bengal, approximately 1.43 crore families, comprising nearly 6 crore people, will now be able to access free and cashless healthcare services under the scheme. She further noted that the eastern and north-eastern region has emerged as a key beneficiary of Ayushman Bharat, with nearly 15.5 crore beneficiaries belonging to these regions.
Emphasizing the Government’s commitment to the principle of “leaving no one behind”, she stated that ensuring access to affordable and quality healthcare for every citizen is not merely a policy objective but a moral commitment towards the nation. She called upon all stakeholders to work collectively to ensure effective implementation of the scheme on the ground so that its benefits reach every eligible beneficiary in West Bengal.
Addressing the gathering, Punya Salila Srivastava, Union Health Secretary, described the signing of the MoU between the National Health Authority and the Government of West Bengal as a historic milestone in India’s journey towards Universal Health Coverage. She stated that with the implementation of AB PM-JAY in West Bengal, approximately 1.43 crore families, including 1.24 crore eligible beneficiary families, around 3.06 lakh families of ASHAs, Anganwadi Workers and Helpers, and nearly 15.95 lakh families of senior citizens aged 70 years and above, will now be able to avail the benefits of the scheme.
She highlighted that the Government of India continues to support the State’s health sector through the National Health Mission and informed that a resource envelope of Rs 3,505.59 crore has been conveyed to West Bengal for FY 2026-27, with the first tranche of Rs 527.58 crore already released.
Appreciating the State’s recent public health initiatives, Srivastava noted that West Bengal launched state wide HPV Vaccination Programme for 14-year-old girls on 30th May 2026 and, as per available data, over 33,000 beneficiaries have already been vaccinated, helping advance efforts towards cervical cancer prevention, the release stated.
Congratulating the Government and people of West Bengal on joining AB PM-JAY, she expressed confidence that the scheme would strengthen healthcare access and financial protection for millions of families and further the shared vision of “Swasth Bengal, Swasth Bharat”.
Dr. Sunil Kumar Barnwal, Chief Executive Officer, National Health Authority, stated that the implementation of AB PM-JAY in West Bengal will directly benefit approximately 1.24 crore eligible families in the State. He further noted that nearly 15.95 lakh families of senior citizens aged 70 years and above, along with around 3.03 lakh families of ASHAs, Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi Helpers, will also be covered under the scheme, taking the total approved beneficiary base in West Bengal to approximately 1.43 crore families.
Dr. Barnwal stated that with the onboarding of West Bengal under AB PM-JAY, the Government of India will provide substantial financial support towards the implementation of the scheme. He noted that based on the approved beneficiary base, the Central Government’s contribution is expected to be nearly Rs 1,000 crore annually, which would not only strengthen financial protection for beneficiaries but also support the State’s healthcare ecosystem through increased utilization of public and private healthcare facilities.
He further informed that the National Health Authority, in close coordination with the State Health Agency and other stakeholders, has undertaken the necessary preparations to ensure smooth and effective implementation of the scheme. He expressed confidence that all eligible families in the State would be able to seamlessly avail the benefits of AB PM-JAY and access quality healthcare services without financial hardship.
Addressing the gathering, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal, stated that the implementation of AB PM-JAY marks a transformative step for the healthcare sector in the State and will ultimately benefit nearly 11 crore people of West Bengal through enhanced access to quality healthcare services, the release stated.
He noted that beneficiaries in the State will now have access to cashless treatment across more than 36,000 empanelled hospitals under the scheme, including a large network of public and private hospitals across the State. He emphasized that the portability feature of AB PM-JAY would be particularly beneficial for migrant workers and their families from West Bengal, enabling them to avail treatment at empanelled hospitals in any part of the country without having to bear out-of-pocket expenditure.
Shri Agarwal highlighted that eligible families will receive health cover of up to ₹5 lakh per family annually under the scheme, while senior citizens aged 70 years and above will be entitled to an additional health cover as per the provisions of the scheme, irrespective of their socio-economic status. He stated that the initiative would significantly strengthen financial protection for families facing major health expenditures.
He also noted that the integration of the scheme with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission ecosystem would further enhance transparency, interoperability and efficiency in healthcare delivery through digital records and a nationwide network of empanelled healthcare providers.
Expressing gratitude to the Government of India and the National Health Authority for their support, Shri Agarwal reaffirmed the commitment of the Government of West Bengal towards ensuring the smooth implementation of AB PM-JAY and maximising its benefits for the people of the State.
The signing of the MoU reflects the continued commitment of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare towards strengthening healthcare delivery systems and ensuring affordable, accessible and quality healthcare for every citizen. (ANI)
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