Bhubaneswar: The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana has officially been launched in Odisha following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Health Authority and the state health department in New Delhi on Monday.
The agreement was signed during a ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi in the presence of chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singhdeo, Union health minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, tribal affairs minister Jual Oram, Odisha health minister Mukesh Mahaling.
The scheme, which is now merged with Odisha's Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY) , is set to benefit over 1.03 crore families in the state, including more than 23 lakh senior citizens aged 70 and above. With this expansion, the state's elderly population will have access to comprehensive medical care, significantly enhancing healthcare services across the region.
Chief Minister Majhi, speaking at the event, emphasised the transformative potential of the scheme. He stated that it would bring about a paradigm shift in Odisha's healthcare system, particularly benefiting rural areas. He also announced plans to establish an ‘Ayushman Arogya Mandir’ in every panchayat, ensuring accessible healthcare services at the grassroots level. These centers will be equipped with trained health workers and yoga teachers, further strengthening the healthcare infrastructure in the state.
The Chief Minister noted that while the Ayushman Bharat scheme was introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018, Odisha had previously been excluded from its benefits. The integration of the scheme with the state's existing health initiatives will now allow over one crore families to receive medical care at more than 29,000 hospitals across the country, a significant increase from the current 900 hospitals in the state.
The state government has committed to further strengthening its health sector with a budget allocation of Rs 21,000 crore, marking a 32.2 percent increase from the previous year. This allocation aligns with the recommendations of the National Health Policy and is aimed at improving the overall health infrastructure in Odisha.
Under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, male beneficiaries will be entitled to medical benefits of up to Rs 5 lakh, while female beneficiaries will receive benefits up to Rs 10 lakh.
This landmark healthcare initiative is expected to be a crucial step toward achieving Odisha's vision of a prosperous and developed state by 2036, in line with India's broader goals for development by 2047.
