In the eleven years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, healthcare has emerged as a major focus area, with the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) playing a central role. More than 9 crore people have received free treatment worth Rs 1.3 lakh crore under the scheme—more than twice the population of Canada.
According to the Economic Survey 2024–25, AB PM-JAY has helped citizens save over ₹1.25 lakh crore in out-of-pocket expenses and improved healthcare access through increased public spending. Between FY 2015 and FY 2022, Government Health Expenditure rose from 29% to 48%, while Out-of-Pocket Expenditure dropped from 62.6% to 39.4%.
Initially targeting families based on the SECC 2011, the scheme expanded in 2022 to include 12 crore families, with states allowed to use additional socio-economic datasets. In 2024, coverage was extended to 37 lakh frontline health workers and, later, to 6 crore senior citizens aged 70 and above, regardless of income.
All government hospitals with in-patient facilities are deemed empanelled, and a three-tier grievance redressal system ensures accountability. To boost private sector participation, the National Health Authority introduced a revised Health Benefit Package, streamlined empanelment via HEM 2.0, and launched support helplines and district units.
The scheme continues to transform India’s healthcare landscape, making quality medical care accessible to millions.
