Bhubaneswar: In a significant move to provide universal health coverage, the Odisha government is all set to launch Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana from April 1. The schemes aim to provide health insurance coverage to over 3.5 crore people in the state.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi at the Lok Seva Bhawan on Wednesday.
To mark the launch of this scheme, programmes will be organized in all 1,438 primary health centres across the state. A massive awareness campaign will also be launched to promote the scheme.
Notably, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the state government and the National Health Authority in New Delhi on January 13 for the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana in Odisha.
According to a release issued from the Chief Minister’s Office, over 1.03 crore families in the state will benefit from both Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana. Individually, more than 3.46 crore people will get the benefit. Both schemes will be implemented jointly (co-branded) in Odisha. Beneficiaries of both schemes will receive a co-branded card. Each beneficiary will receive a single card for both AB-PMJAY and Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana, while Pradhanmantri Vaya Vandana Yojana beneficiaries will get a separate card.
Under Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, around 67.80 lakh families will be benefited, while 35.84 lakh families will be covered under Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana.
Additionally, people above 70 years of age will be included in the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. According to reports, there are 23,12,979 people above 70 years of age in the state. Out of these, around 17 lakh are already covered under Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana, leaving around 6 lakh new beneficiaries.
This will bring the total number of beneficiaries in the state to 3.52 crore. Each male beneficiary will receive medical treatment worth up to Rs 5 lakh, while each female beneficiary will receive medical treatment worth up to Rs 10 lakh. If a family has a beneficiary above 70 years of age, the family will receive medical treatment worth up to Rs 15 lakh. Beneficiaries can avail of cashless medical treatment at over 29,000 government and empaneled private hospitals across the country.
Present in the meeting were Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, Development Commissioner Anu Garg, Principal Secretary of Information and Public Relations Department Sanjay Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary of IT Department Vishal Dev, Secretary of Health Department Smt. Ms Aswathy S, and senior officials of the Health Department.
