New Delhi: West Bengal became the last state to join the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, the government’s flagship health insurance programme, signing a memorandum of understanding with the National Health Authority on Monday to extend cashless medical cover of up to ₹5 lakh annually to 1.43 crore families, or 6 crore individuals.
The Mamata Banerjee-era holdout formally ended as the state aligned with the programme, completing the scheme's rollout across all 36 states and Union territories. The MoU was signed in New Delhi in the presence of Union health minister J.P. Nadda and West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari.
The beneficiaries in West Bengal comprise 1.24 crore low-income families, nearly 16 lakh households of senior citizens aged 70 and above, and 3 lakh families of frontline health workers, including ASHAs and Anganwadi workers. The Union government has committed close to ₹1,000 crore annually to fund the scheme in the state, with a total allocation of ₹3,505 crore conveyed for 2026-27.
Nationally, the programme now covers more than 62 crore individuals, with beneficiaries having availed over 12 crore treatments worth more than ₹1.82 trillion since inception.
"The portability feature of PM-JAY would be particularly beneficial for migrant workers from West Bengal and their families," Nadda said, adding that these workers can access cashless treatment at registered facilities across the country.
Chief minister Adhikari outlined the state administration's ongoing efforts to build stronger public health services and noted that more than 80% of public representatives have been sensitized under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan.
"Implementation of AB PM-JAY marks a significant step towards the vision of 'Swasth Bengal, Swasth Bharat,'" Adhikari said.
