Delhi govt to roll out Ayushman Bharat on April 5

The Delhi government’s Ayushman Bharat scheme will prioritise the “poorest of the poor,” with one lakh people enrolled by April 10, aiming to improve the city’s healthcare infrastructure, Health Minister Pankaj Singh said.

Under this scheme, priority will be given to Delhi’s poorest families, including those under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and priority households, Singh said on Thursday.

“The Ayushman Bharat scheme must be implemented swiftly after the MoU is signed. Efforts will be made at the ground level to ensure that the most vulnerable sections of society benefit,” he said.

Delhi’s healthcare infrastructure will improve with this initiative, patients will receive better primary care, and health services will be enhanced, the minister said.

Additionally, patient records will be digitally maintained, allowing for better monitoring and management, he added.

“We will first issue the cards to those who need them the most, including beneficiaries under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and priority households. After that, we will expand the distribution further.”

The AAY is a government scheme launched in 2000 to provide highly subsidised food to the poorest families. It was first implemented in Rajasthan.

Under this scheme, after identifying the “poorest of the poor” families within the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category, the government allows them to purchase up to 35 kilograms of rice and wheat at highly subsidised rates—Rs 3 per kilogram for rice and Rs 2 per kilogram for wheat.

The Ayushman Bharat scheme, launched by the Central government as recommended by the National Health Policy 2017, was not implemented in the national capital.

The scheme includes Ayushman Arogya Mandir, critical care blocks, integrated diagnostic facilities, PMJAY and the National Digital Health Mission.

The BJP, which formed its government in Delhi after more than 26 years, approved the scheme in its first cabinet meeting—right after Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and her six ministers took the oath of office on February 20.

The Delhi government has, with this move, increased the healthcare budget by 48 per cent for the financial year 2025-26, compared to the previous year’s allocation by the AAP regime.

The current administration has allocated Rs 12,893 crore for the health sector—an increase of Rs 4,208 crore from the Rs 8,685 crore budgeted by the AAP in FY 2024-25.

A significant portion of the funds will be directed towards implementing central health schemes, including Ayushman Bharat, which was a key BJP poll promise during the elections.

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The scheme will receive Rs 2,144 crore, expanding insurance coverage for Delhi residents to Rs 10 lakh, with Rs 7 lakh being borne by the city government.

The PM-ABHIM scheme will receive Rs 1,666.66 crore to enhance critical care and diagnostic infrastructure, while Rs 147.64 crore has been allocated to improve financial protection under Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).

The chief minister also announced a Rs 10 crore allocation for the Ayushman Digital Mission, aimed at modernising records and creating an integrated healthcare data system for better patient management.

(With inputs from PTI)