Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday lauded the launch of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (PM-JAY) in Delhi, calling it a “revolutionary step” in strengthening the capital’s healthcare system — a move made possible, he said, by the “double-engine” BJP government.
In a post on X, PM Modi wrote: “A revolutionary step related to Delhi’s health sector! This mission of the double-engine government is going to be extremely beneficial for lakhs of my brothers and sisters here. I am very happy that Delhiites will now also be able to get their treatment under the Ayushman Yojana.”
The rollout of PM-JAY in Delhi officially began on Thursday under the broader Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM).
Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta launched the scheme by distributing Ayushman cards to the first batch of 30 beneficiaries in the national capital.
At the launch event, Nadda announced that all senior citizens aged 70 years and above in Delhi, regardless of income level, will be covered under the Ayushman Vay Vandana Yojana, providing them with expanded access to healthcare services.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta shared details of the infrastructure development planned under PM-ABHIM.
“For the NCT of Delhi, an amount of Rs 1,749 crore has been approved for the establishment of 1,139 Urban Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAM), the strengthening of 11 Integrated Public Health Laboratories (IPHLs), and the development of 9 Critical Care Blocks (CCBs) during the scheme period.”
The scheme’s rollout follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on April 5, paving the way for its implementation in the capital.
Launched in 2018, PM-JAY provides an annual health coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family for secondary and tertiary care, primarily targeting economically vulnerable groups. The Delhi government has further supplemented this coverage with an additional Rs 5 lakh per family, taking the total health benefit to Rs 10 lakh per year per beneficiary family.
Crucially, the scheme’s portability allows residents of Delhi to access benefits at any of the 30,000+ empaneled hospitals across India, ensuring treatment options beyond the city’s borders.
