Odisha is expected to soon participate in the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)
OdishaPlus Bureau
According to reports, Odisha is expected to soon participate in the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). Sources from the health ministry indicate that discussions with the Odisha government, currently under BJP leadership, are nearing completion, and an agreement with the National Health Authority (NHA), the agency responsible for implementing AB-PMJAY, may be finalized in the coming days.
A senior official from the health ministry stated, “Once Odisha joins, only two states/UTs—Delhi and West Bengal—will remain outside the AB-PMJAY framework, as all other states and union territories have already adopted the scheme.” Launched in 2018, AB-PMJAY aims to provide health coverage of ₹5 lakh per family annually for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization, benefiting approximately 55 crore individuals, corresponding to 12.34 crore economically disadvantaged and vulnerable families.
Previously, the former government in Odisha, led by BJD’s Naveen Patnaik, declined to participate in Ayushman Bharat, asserting that its health initiative, the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), was superior, as it provided coverage for nearly 90% of the state’s population with more extensive health benefits.
