New Delhi/Bhubaneswar, Jan 13: Odisha Government on Monday signed a MoU with the Central Government for implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) in the state.
Health and Family Welfare Department Secretary Aswathy S and National Health Authority CEO LS Changsan signed and exchanged the MoUs at the Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The modalities for integrating the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) with the State Government's Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY) were also finalized.
The occasion was attended by Union Health Minister JP Nadda, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo, and the State’s Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling along with Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Ashwini Vaishnaw and Jual Oram.
It is worth mentioning that a total of 1.3 crore families in Odisha will be covered under the scheme and issued the Ayushman Bharat health card which will enable them to access cashless treatment at more than 30,000 hospitals nationwide.
After the MoU was signed, CM Majhi expressed his heartfelt gratitude to PM Modi for bringing Odisha on board this transformative scheme.
“I express my heartfelt gratitude to Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji for bringing Odisha on board this transformative scheme, which is focused on providing quality and affordable healthcare for all. In Odisha, beneficiaries will have access to cashless treatment at over 30,000 government and private hospitals across the country. Nearly 3 crore individuals from 1.3 crore families are set to benefit from this initiative.”
“Ayushman Bharat Mandirs will be established in every Panchayat of Odisha with the goal of delivering healthcare services to rural areas. An instructor will be present at each Mandir, and we will also provide additional facilities and services alongside healthcare workers,” he added.
“The Government of Odisha remains committed to transforming the healthcare sector through various initiatives, paving the way toward a "Viksit Odisha" by 2036 and a "Viksit Bharat" by 2047,” he further added.
Union Ministers Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also lauded the move and said today is a landmark day for the people of Odisha.
Taking to his official ‘X’ handle, Pradhan wrote “A landmark day for the people of Odisha. MoU for implementation of Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY is a fulfilment of yet another promise of PM @narendramodi ji. #AarogyaOdisha #AyushmanOdisha.”
Notably, the Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY), formerly known as the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), offers annual cashless treatment up to Rs 5 lakh for male and RS 10 lakh for female members per family per year.
Meanwhile, the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY provides health insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year. With these new arrangements, women beneficiaries will continue to receive the extra Rs 5 lakh in the health coverage.
