Delhi Govt to enroll 1 lakh in Ayushman Bharat by April 10, Prioritizing the Poorest

New Delhi: The Delhi government has launched a fast-tracked rollout of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, prioritizing the "poorest of the poor." Health Minister Pankaj Singh announced that one lakh people will be enrolled by April 10, as part of efforts to enhance the city's healthcare infrastructure.

Under this scheme, priority will be given to Delhi's poorest families, including those under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and priority households, Singh told PTI on Thursday.

"The Ayushman Bharat scheme must be implemented swiftly after the MoU is signed. Efforts will be made at the ground level to ensure that the most vulnerable sections of society benefit," he said.

Delhi's healthcare infrastructure will improve with this initiative, patients will receive better primary care and health services will be enhanced, the minister said.

Also Read:Odisha to roll out Ayushman Bharat within 2 weeks: CM Majhi

Additionally, the patient records will be digitally maintained, allowing for better monitoring and management, he added.

"We will first issue the cards to those who need them the most, including beneficiaries under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and priority households. After that, we will expand the distribution further, news agency PTI reported.

The AAY is a government scheme launched in 2000 to provide highly subsidised food to the poorest families. It was first implemented in Rajasthan.

Under this scheme, after identifying the "poorest of the poor" families within the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category, the government allows them to purchase up to 35 kilograms of rice and wheat at highly subsidized rates -- Rs 3 per kilogram for rice and Rs 2 per kilogram for wheat.

The Ayushman Bharat scheme, launched by the Central government as recommended by the National Health Policy 2017, was not implemented in the national capital.

The scheme includes Ayushman Arogya Mandir, critical care blocks, integrated diagnostic facilities, PMJAY and the National Digital Health Mission.

The BJP, which formed its government in Delhi after more than 26 years, approved the scheme in its first cabinet meeting -- right after Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and her six ministers took the oath of office on February 20.

The Delhi government has with this move increased the healthcare budget by 48 per cent for the financial year 2025-26, compared to the previous year's allocation by the AAP regime.

The current administration has allocated Rs 12,893 crore for the health sector -- an increase of Rs 4,208 crore from the Rs 8,685 crore budgeted by the AAP in FY 2024-25.

A significant portion of the funds will be directed towards implementing central health schemes, including Ayushman Bharat, which was a key BJP poll promise during the elections.

The scheme will receive Rs 2,144 crore, expanding insurance coverage for Delhi residents to Rs 10 lakh, with Rs 7 lakh being borne by the city government.

The PM-ABHIM scheme will receive Rs 1,666.66 crore to enhance critical care and diagnostic infrastructure, while Rs 147.64 crore has been allocated to improve financial protection under Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).

The chief minister also announced an allocation of Rs 10 crore for the Ayushman Digital Mission, aimed at modernizing records and creating an integrated healthcare data system for better patient management.

Also Read:Delhi Govt to ink MoU with Centre to implement Ayushman Bharat