GUWAHATI: The Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) was expanded to include all senior citizens aged 70 and above regardless of socio-economic status. This initiative was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, October 29.
ALSO READ: Indian Army Dog Phantom Killed in Jammu Anti-Terror Operation
The new scheme plans to provide 70-plus senior citizens with a health insurance cover of up to ₹5 lakh annually in empanelled hospitals across India.
The expansion is part of a larger suite of health initiatives valued at ₹12,850 crore, aiming to benefit over 60 crore senior citizens nationwide. For those in families already covered under AB-PMJAY, the scheme adds an extra ₹5 lakh annually for each eligible senior citizen, augmenting the ₹5 lakh already provided per family.
As for those individuals aged 70 and above from families not previously covered under AB-PMJAY, they will also now receive up to ₹5 lakh in health coverage annually.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare further disclosed that the beneficiary expansion is funded by a financial outlay of ₹3,437 crore, allocated over the next 18 months.