Odisha leads India in AB PM-JAY card distribution, says Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling, highlighting healthcare reforms, ABDM rollout, and senior citizen benefits
OdishaPlus Bureau
On Monday, Odisha Health Minister Dr. Mukesh Mahaling assured that all concerns regarding the Ayushman Bharat card under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) would be addressed promptly.
Mahaling provided this assurance during his speech at the inauguration of a national-level Chintan Shivir focused on the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) in Bhubaneswar.
In his inaugural remarks, Mahaling elaborated that ABPMJAY, which is a result of the National Health Policy-2017 initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has significantly transformed the healthcare landscape of the nation.
Within just nine months of its introduction, the state achieved the top position in distributing AB PM-JAY cards to eligible individuals and ranked fifth in the issuance of Ayushman Vaya Vandana Yojana (AVVY) cards for senior citizens aged 70 and above.
The implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) in the state will adhere to the guidelines set forth by the National Health Authority (NHA). The two-day Chintan Shivir is organized with six sessions, which include five technical discussions.
Additionally, it is noteworthy that there will be no denial of AB-PMJAY treatment, as emphasized by the Odisha Health Minister, who has issued warnings to private hospitals.
“This is now the largest universal healthcare system in the world. Approximately 42 percent of India’s lowest-income population has been included in this healthcare initiative,” Mahaling stated, as reported by the news agency IANS.
He also mentioned that the program was initiated in Odisha on April 11, 2025, and within nine months of its launch, the state ranked first in the distribution of ABPMJAY cards to eligible individuals and fifth in the issuance of Ayushman Vaya Vandana Yojana (AVVY) cards for senior citizens aged 70 and above. Mahaling further highlighted that in Odisha, ABPMJAY was introduced in conjunction with the state’s own initiative, Gopabandhu Jana Arogya Yojana (GJAY), which entitles each beneficiary family to cashless treatment of Rs. 5 lakh annually, with an additional Rs. 5 lakh provision for female family members.
All senior citizens aged 70 and above, regardless of their economic status, were also eligible for the same benefits under AVVY. Approximately 80 percent of Odisha’s total population of 4.5 crore has been incorporated into the converged scheme. The Health Minister encouraged participants at the Chintan Shivir to consider the potential inclusion of Ayurvedic and Homeopathic packages in ABPMJAY, alongside allopathic packages. He stated that Odisha has commenced the process of implementing ABDM in conjunction with ABPMJAY.
ABDM in the state will be executed in accordance with the guidelines set forth by the National Health Authority (NHA). The two-day Chintan Shivir is planned to include six sessions, comprising five technical sessions.
During the inaugural session, three significant MOUs were established, namely the MOU between NHA and BHASINI for multilingual access to health services, the MOU between NHA and the Indian Institute of Sciences for collaborative research, and the MOU between NHA and the National Accreditation Board of Hospitals (NABH) for maintaining national standards at health facilities.
A very powerful and positive step to strengthen the Health Care facilities in Odisha. This will move with a Great Leap Forward.