Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 23 launched Ayushman Bharat, world’s largest government-funded healthcare scheme, in Jharkhand’s capital Ranchi which would benefit 50 crore Indians and provide healthcare facilities to over 10 crore families covering economically backward families from both urban and rural India. The scheme offers an insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh, which is a big step towards providing good quality and accessible healthcare to the poor population of India.
Under the flagship scheme, dubbed as ‘Modicare’, all NDA chief ministers will launch the scheme from their respective states. Nearly 31 states and Union Territories will implement the program after today’s launch.
The ambitious scheme is renamed the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyan.
The scheme will be funded with 60 per cent contribution coming from the Centre and the remaining from the states.
PM Modi said, “The government is pursuing a holistic approach towards the betterment of the health sector. As it focuses on affordable healthcare on one hand, emphasis is also being laid on preventive healthcare on the other.”
Dr Vinod Paul, chief architect of the scheme, the Ayushman Bharat scheme will become operational from September 25 on the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay.
States like Telangana, Odisha, Kerala, Delhi and Punjab have not signed the launch with the Centre.
