West Bengal becomes 36th State/UT to implement Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY
New Delhi, June 8
In a major step towards achieving universal health coverage, West Bengal on Monday became the 36th State and Union Territory to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, completing the nationwide rollout of the Centre's flagship health assurance programme.
The National Health Authority (NHA), under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the West Bengal Department of Health and Family Welfare for the implementation of the scheme in the state.
The MoU signing ceremony was presided over by Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda in the presence of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava and other senior officials from the Centre and the state government.
Addressing the gathering, Nadda described the occasion as a historic milestone in India's journey towards universal health coverage and congratulated the West Bengal government for joining the scheme.
He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, launched in September 2018, has evolved into the world's largest government-funded health assurance programme.
Highlighting the impact of the scheme, the Union Health Minister said beneficiaries have availed more than 12 crore treatments worth over Rs 1.82 lakh crore under PM-JAY, providing significant financial protection to poor and vulnerable families.
He noted that out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure in the country has declined from 64.6 per cent before 2018 to 43.4 per cent currently, reflecting the government's efforts to make healthcare more affordable.
Nadda said the scheme's cashless, paperless and fully digital architecture has enabled timely access to quality healthcare services.
Referring to findings published in The Lancet, he said nearly 90 per cent of eligible cancer patients covered under the scheme were able to begin treatment within 30 days, underscoring its role in improving healthcare access.
The Union Minister further lauded the West Bengal government's HPV vaccination programme launched on May 30, 2026, for adolescent girls aged 14 years. He said the initiative would help prevent cervical cancer and noted that more than 33,000 girls have already been vaccinated out of the targeted 7.65 lakh beneficiaries.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari thanked the Centre for its continued support in strengthening healthcare services in the state.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Great news for West Bengal! I've been following Ayushman Bharat since 2018 and it's impressive how the scheme has evolved. The cashless, paperless model is especially helpful for villagers who often get cheated by middlemen. But I hope the state government ensures proper implementation and doesn't let corruption creep in. The target is 7.65 lakh girls for HPV vaccination - that's quite ambitious, let's see how it goes.
Impressive numbers - 12 crore treatments worth ₹1.82 lakh crore! That's real impact. As someone who works in public health, I know how difficult it is to scale such programs. The Lancet study showing 90% cancer patients starting treatment within 30 days is particularly noteworthy. India is showing the world how to do universal healthcare on a budget. Well done! 🇮🇳
Good step but let's not get carried away. The out-of-pocket expenditure decline from 64.6% to 43.4% is significant, but still nearly half of healthcare costs are borne by patients. Also, many private hospitals are reluctant to treat Ayushman Bharat patients because of low reimbursement rates. The government needs to address these ground-level issues. Still, better than nothing, I suppose.
I'm glad West Bengal finally decided to join. But honestly, this should have happened years ago - politics shouldn't come in the way of healthcare. My grandmother in Murshidabad had to travel all the way to Kolkata for surgery because local hospitals weren't covered. Hopefully now, with Ayushman Bharat, more hospitals in districts will be empaneled. The HPV vaccination for girls is a smart move too - cervical cancer is a silent killer in rural areas.
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