Ayushman Bharat: PM Modi Initiates Delivery Of 16 Million Health Cards In Uttar Pradesh
New Delhi, 6th July 2023: During his visit to Uttar Pradesh on July 7, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will initiate the delivery of 16 million Ayushman cards. This distribution effort comes as the central government accelerates its dissemination of Ayushman cards to beneficiaries under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). The PM will commence the distribution drive of PVC cards in Varanasi on Friday, where he will also engage with beneficiaries. A similar exercise will take place in Raipur.
Under the AB-PMJAY, the central government provides annual health coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family, and all beneficiaries receive Ayushman Bharat cards. These cards enable beneficiaries to access free treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year in approved public and private hospitals. The cards function as “prepaid cards” for the entire sum, which can be utilized by beneficiaries for treatment under the scheme. Around 28,500 hospitals, including 12,500 private ones, are available for beneficiaries to seek treatment.
On June 22, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath instructed officials to prioritize the preparation of Ayushman Bharat cards for eligible individuals.
Nationwide, 239 million Ayushman cards have been distributed out of a beneficiary base of 600 million. This is not the first time that PM Modi has launched a card distribution drive. On June 23, he initiated a distribution effort for 4 million cards in Jammu and Kashmir and 10 million cards in Madhya Pradesh. Earlier, after the launch by PM Modi, 5 million cards were distributed in Gujarat and 11 million in Assam. According to government data, Madhya Pradesh has recorded the highest number of card distributions with 40 million cards distributed, followed by Uttar Pradesh (30 million), Chhattisgarh (20 million), Gujarat, and Assam.
