The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)
AB-PMJAY is a significant initiative by the Government of India aimed at providing health coverage for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to the poorer and vulnerable families in India. Here's a brief overview:
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- Launch Date:
The scheme was launched on 23rd September 2018 in Ranchi, Jharkhand by the Prime Minister of India¹.
- Coverage:
It offers a health cover of ₹5 lakhs per family per year.
- Beneficiaries:
The scheme targets over 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore individuals), which constitutes the bottom 40% of the Indian population.
- Eligibility:
The inclusion of households is based on the deprivation and occupational criteria of the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011) for rural and urban areas.
- Continuum of Care Approach:
AB-PMJAY adopts this approach, comprising two inter-related components: Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) and the PM-JAY itself.
- Health and Wellness Centres:
Announced in February 2018, these centers aim to deliver Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC) and expand the range of services to address the primary health care needs of the entire population.
This scheme is part of the government's push towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly the commitment to "leave no one behind" in healthcare access.