West Bengal Set to Become 36th State to Implement Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY

West Bengal is set to become the 36th State to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).

The National Health Authority (NHA) and the West Bengal Department of Health and Family Welfare will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the implementation of the scheme.

With the signing of the MoU, West Bengal will join the world's largest publicly funded health assurance scheme.

The scheme provides health insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalization.

The implementation is expected to strengthen access to affordable healthcare and advance India's goal of universal health coverage.

The MoU signing ceremony will be held under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The existing state healthcare framework is expected to be integrated with the national health insurance scheme.

Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)

Launched: 23 September 2018

Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Implementing Agency: National Health Authority (NHA)

It is the world's largest government-funded health assurance scheme.

Key Features:

Health cover of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year

Cashless and paperless treatment

Coverage for secondary and tertiary hospitalization

Benefits available at empanelled public and private hospitals across India

Portable across states and Union Territories

Covers pre-existing diseases from day one of enrollment

Ayushman Bharat Programme

Launched in: 2018

Components:

Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs)

Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY)

Objective:

Universal Health Coverage (UHC)

Reduction in out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure

Improved access to quality healthcare services

National Health Authority (NHA)

Established: 2019

Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Functions:

Implementation of PM-JAY

Digital health initiatives

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)

Launched: 2021

Objective:

Create a national digital health ecosystem

Provide unique Health IDs for citizens

Enable seamless sharing of health records

Universal Health Coverage (UHC)

Promoted by: World Health Organization

Objective:

Ensure access to quality healthcare services

Provide financial risk protection

Achieve equitable healthcare access for all citizens

West Bengal

Capital: Kolkata

Governor: C. V. Ananda Bose

Chief Minister: SuvendAdhikari

Major State Health Scheme: Swasthya Sathi

Exam Focus Points (Quick Revision Notes)

State in News → West Bengal

Scheme → Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY

Implementation Status → 36th State to implement the scheme

Health Cover → ₹5 lakh per family per year

Implementing Agency → National Health Authority (NHA)

PM-JAY Launch Date → 23 September 2018

NHA Established → 2019

Ayushman Bharat Components → Health and Wellness Centres + PM-JAY

West Bengal Capital → Kolkata

Objective → Universal Health Coverage