New Delhi: Over 6.54 lakh families in Delhi will now be eligible for the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), getting health insurance cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per year. Moreover, while the Centre provides Rs 5 lakh per eligible family under PM-JAY, the Delhi government will be providing an additional Rs 5 lakh.
The implementation of the Modi government’s flagship health insurance scheme for low-income families in the national capital was given the go-ahead by the new Delhi government at its first cabinet meeting earlier this week. “The previous government had stalled the Ayushman Bharat scheme in Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi implemented it across the country, and now we have approved it for Delhi,” PTI quoted Chief Minister Rekha Gupta as saying.
To facilitate implementation, the Delhi government will share beneficiary data with the National Health Authority, enabling the creation of a comprehensive database of eligible individuals.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is yet to be signed but will be done soon, said Joint Secretary & Mission Director (ABDM), National Health Authority, Kiran Gopal Vaska.
The scheme has already been extended to ASHA workers, anganwadi workers and helpers.
A total of 66 hospitals have already been empanelled under the scheme. These hospitals were previously offering services through the “portability feature”, allowing patients from outside Delhi to avail Ayushman Bharat benefits at centrally administered hospitals in the city.
“Now, with the formation of the Delhi State Health Authority, more hospitals will be empanelled,” Vaska said.
At a meeting Tuesday, senior government officials, it is learnt, emphasised that a minimum number of beneficiaries must be enrolled under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) and VAY Vandana Card (health insurance card for senior citizens) within 30 days of the scheme’s approval.
The eligible beneficiaries will include families identified through National Food Security Act (NFSA) data, Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data, or as determined by the cabinet, along with senior citizens above 70 years of age. District magistrates (DMs) have been tasked with ensuring that the enrollment target is met within the 30-day timeline from the date of approval.
According to the minutes of the meeting, existing Delhi Government Dispensaries (DGDs) and MCD dispensaries are to be upgraded to Aam Aadmi Mohalla Primary Health Centres (AAM-PHCs). A target of upgrading 11 PHCs within 30 days has been set, with DMs and chief district medical officers (CDMOs) responsible for identifying the facilities to be upgraded within 30 days of the scheme’s approval.
Additionally, under the Ayushman Bharat Infrastructure Mission Scheme (PM-BHIM), 1,139 Urban AAMs are planned to be developed to expand primary healthcare services for Delhi’s entire population.
Moreover, 553 existing mohalla clinics are to be upgraded to Urban Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (U-AAMs), while 413 new U-AAMs need to be operationalised.
The document also highlighted a proposal to increase the number of ASHA workers, which will be submitted to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India (GoI) to enhance the coverage of health schemes in RWAs and gated societies across Delhi.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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