 "PM Narendra Modi rolls out health cover for 70-plus senior citizens")
This report has been updated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched the expanded Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) scheme.
It will apply to all aged 70 and above, irrespective of their socio-economic status, with a benefit cover of Rs 5 lakh per year in empanelled hospitals across India.
The expansion was part of the health projects worth Rs 12,850 crore launched by PM Modi on Tuesday, and is expected to benefit 60 million senior citizens.
Under the expanded scope of the scheme, eligible senior citizens, who belong to families already covered under AB-PMJAY, will get an additional top-up cover up to Rs 5 lakh per year for themselves, over the Rs 5 lakh already given to the family.
All other eligible senior citizens, whose families are not covered under the scheme, will also get a cover up to Rs 5 lakh per year on a family basis.
According to an official, the beneficiary base expansion will be done with an outlay of Rs 3,437 crore.
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Sources in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that the financial outlay — marked for expansion of coverage under Ayushman Bharat to all senior citizens aged 70 or above — will be spread over one and a half years.
“The outlay is for the remaining six months of this financial year and the next full financial year,” an official said.
Eligible beneficiaries covered under private health insurance policies or Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) scheme will also be eligible to avail benefits under PMJAY.
Those already availing benefits of Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) and Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) may have to either choose their existing scheme or opt for PMJAY.
According to data on the National Health Authority (NHA) dashboard, more than 356 million Ayushman cards have been created till now.
Under the expanded scheme, senior citizens will get a separate Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card.
U-Win portal rolled out
PM Modi also launched the U-win portal for digitalisation of immunisation services for pregnant women and children. It will enhance access to health services and provide citizens with secure digital identities.
Five new plants were also inaugurated under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for bulk drugs and medical devices, among other projects.
These plants will be situated in Vapi (Gujarat), Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kakinada and Himachal Pradesh’s Nalagarh.
Among other projects launched were Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in four National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs) and four special CoEs for Ayush research.