Synopsis
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the people of Odisha for the signing of a MoU between the National Health Authority and Odisha's Health Department to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), ensuring quality healthcare for millions.Key Takeaways
- Prime Minister Modi congratulated Odisha for the MoU signing.
- The initiative aims to provide cashless treatment at numerous hospitals.
- Odisha is now the 34th state to implement AB PM-JAY.
- Approximately 3 crore individuals will benefit from this scheme.
- Healthcare services will be expanded to rural areas through Ayushman Bharat Mandirs.
Bhubaneswar, Jan 13 (NationPress) Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his congratulations to the residents of Odisha following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Health Authority, part of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and Odisha's Health and Family Welfare Department. This agreement marks a significant step towards the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) within the state.
PM Modi emphasized that this initiative will guarantee top-notch healthcare at reasonable prices, especially benefiting the Nari Shakti (women's power) and the elderly population of Odisha.
In response to a post on X by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the Prime Minister remarked: "Congratulations to the people of Odisha! It was a pity that my brothers and sisters in Odisha were deprived of the advantages of Ayushman Bharat under the previous administration. This scheme will provide high-quality healthcare at affordable prices, particularly aiding the Nari Shakti and the elderly residents of Odisha."
Earlier, CM Majhi expressed his appreciation to PM Modi via his X account for the MoU signing that enables the implementation of Ayushman Bharat in Odisha.
"I sincerely thank Hon'ble Prime Minister @narendramodiji for including Odisha in this transformative initiative, which aims to deliver quality and affordable healthcare for all. In Odisha, beneficiaries will enjoy cashless treatment at over 30,000 government and private hospitals nationwide. Nearly 3 crore individuals from 1.3 crore families are anticipated to benefit from this scheme," Majhi wrote.
The Chief Minister also announced the establishment of Ayushman Bharat Mandirs in every Panchayat of Odisha to enhance healthcare access in rural areas.
"Each Mandir will have an instructor, and we will also offer additional services alongside healthcare workers. The Government of Odisha is dedicated to revolutionizing the healthcare sector through various initiatives, aspiring towards a 'Viksit Odisha' by 2036 and a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047," Majhi added.
Notably, Odisha has now become the 34th state to embrace the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).
The Health and Family Welfare Department of Odisha signed the MoU with the National Health Authority under the Union Health Ministry for the execution of the Ayushman Bharat scheme in the region.
The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) will be implemented in conjunction with the existing Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY) in Odisha.
This scheme provides a coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family annually, with an additional Rs 5 lakh for female family members.
Approximately 1.03 crore families will be included in this converged scheme, with 67.8 lakh families supported by the Union government.
During the event, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda remarked: "Today is a historic day for Odisha. AB PM-JAY is not only the world's largest health coverage initiative but also the quickest to be implemented since its inception."
He mentioned that nearly 45 percent of India's population benefits from the AB PM-JAY scheme.
J.P. Nadda noted that the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card, which was introduced in October 2024, will serve around 6 crore people aged 70 and above.
The Union Health Minister highlighted that since the launch of the AB PM-JAY scheme, there have been 8.19 crore hospital admissions with a total expenditure of Rs 1.13 lakh crore on healthcare for the underprivileged.
Quoting a recent Lancet study on Southeast Asia, J.P. Nadda revealed that AB PM-JAY has enhanced healthcare access for cancer patients by 33 percent.
On this occasion, CM Mohan Charan Majhi stated: "Residents of our state, who previously sought treatment in around 900 empaneled hospitals, will now have access to cashless, quality treatment in over 29,000 government and private empaneled hospitals."
He highlighted that the combined schemes of GJAY and ABPM-JAY will benefit approximately 4.5 crore people in Odisha through a single card.
"The AB PM-JAY, the world's largest health assurance program launched in 2018 by PM Modi, provides health coverage for over 50 crore individuals in the country. However, for political reasons, the people of Odisha were excluded from it under the previous state government. To rectify this error, the state government decided to implement ABPM-JAY as soon as possible," Majhi explained.
He added that around one crore families in Odisha currently receive health assurance through the state scheme, Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana.
CM Majhi further stated that every month, 1.50 lakh patients receive cashless treatment worth Rs 350 crore at empaneled private hospitals.
"Nevertheless, there are some limitations. Currently, beneficiaries can only avail cashless treatment at 900 empaneled private hospitals. Furthermore, individuals residing outside the state are excluded from the service under this scheme. These two issues will be resolved with the implementation of ABPM-JAY, allowing beneficiaries to access cashless treatment in more than 29,000 government and private hospitals across India," CM Majhi concluded.
