West Bengal joins Ayushman Bharat programme

Union Health Minister JP Nadda and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari are seen during the MoU signing ceremony between National Health Authority and West Bengal Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of Ayushman Bharat PM Jay Scheme at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Monday, June 8, 2026. | Photo credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

West Bengal on Monday (June 8, 2026) became the 36th State/Union Territory to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).

The National Health Authority (NHA) under the Union Ministry of Health and Welfare (MoHFW) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Government of West Bengal for the implementation of AB PM-JAY in the state. The ceremony was presided over by Union Health Minister JP Nadda and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, among others.

Congratulating the Government of West Bengal for joining AB PM-JAY, the Union Health Minister said that after the launch of Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY in September 2018, it has now become the world’s largest government funded health insurance scheme.

The Union Health Minister highlighted that more than 12 crore treatments worth more than ₹ 1.82 crore have been availed by the beneficiaries under the scheme, providing substantial financial protection to poor and vulnerable families. He noted that one of the most significant results of the government’s efforts was the reduction of out-of-pocket expenditure on health care, which fell from 64.6% before 2018 to 43.4% today.

Highlighting the impact of the scheme, he said that AB PM-JAY has enabled timely access to quality healthcare through a cashless, paperless and fully digital platform.

“The portability feature of PM-JAY would be particularly beneficial for migrant workers from West Bengal and their families. Beneficiaries working or residing in other states would have access to cashless treatment at nearby empaneled hospitals across the country, ensuring continuity of healthcare wherever they are,” the minister said.

The Union Health Minister also commended the West Bengal government for starting the HPV vaccination program for adolescent girls aged 14 on 30 May 2026. Noting that the initiative will play an important role in the prevention of cervical cancer, he informed that more than 33,000 girls out of the target 7.65 million beneficiaries have already been vaccinated under the programme.

Speaking on the occasion, Suvendu Adhikari, Chief Minister of West Bengal noted that under the National Health Mission, the Government of India has recently released ₹527 million to West Bengal, which will further support health infrastructure and service delivery across the state.

Welcoming the implementation of AB PM-JAY in West Bengal, the Chief Minister said that around 1.24 million eligible families in the state will now be able to avail health coverage under this scheme, which will ensure greater financial protection and access to quality health services, including ASHA, Aanganwadi workers and senior citizens, taking the total number of beneficiary families to 1.43, he added.

Published – 09 Jun 2026 03:31 IST