Bhubaneswar: In a bid to ensure universal health coverage for its elderly population, the Odisha government will roll out an intensive 10-day enrolment drive for the Ayushman Vay Vandana Yojana (AVVY), starting June 12.
The campaign, which will continue until June 21, aims to bring every citizen aged 70 years and above under the ambit of the scheme, which offers ₹5 lakh annual health coverage irrespective of income, caste, or prior scheme inclusion.
Despite the launch of AVVY earlier this year, enrolment figures have remained significantly low. Of the 23 lakh eligible senior citizens in the state, only 3.45 lakh have been enrolled so far.
The Health and Family Welfare Department now aims for 100% saturation through this focused outreach programme.
To ensure smooth execution, Health Department Secretary Aswathy S has instructed all Chief District Medical Officers (CDMOs) to prepare micro-level, gram panchayat-wise action plans.
The strategy involves mobilising a wide network of Common Service Centres (CSCs), village-level workers, ASHAs, and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) to facilitate on-the-ground awareness and registration.
As part of the campaign, health workers will notify eligible beneficiaries in advance, guiding them to gather at pre-designated points on fixed dates and times. On those days, Bikash Vahans—mobile registration vans—will visit the areas, accompanied by CSC personnel to complete digital enrolments on the spot.
The AVVY scheme was launched in April as a part of a larger healthcare rollout led by Union Health Minister JP Nadda, alongside Ayushman Bharat – PM Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) and Odisha’s Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana.
What makes AVVY distinct is its inclusive design, offering non-discriminatory coverage to all senior citizens over 70 years, regardless of income, caste, or existing scheme enrolments.
