Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticizes the Delhi and West Bengal governments for their refusal to implement the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, leaving senior citizens aged 70 and above unable to access the benefits. In his speech, Modi calls out these governments for prioritizing their political interests over the well-being of their citizens, pointing out the success of his government's health initiatives such as the establishment of affordable medicine centers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), which provides free health insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh annually for all citizens aged 70 years and above, regardless of their socio-economic status. However, the governments of Delhi and West Bengal have refused to implement this scheme since 2019, citing concerns over bearing 40% of the costs. PM Modi has expressed his regret for not being able to serve the elderly people in these states and condemned the politicization of healthcare accessibility.
The Indian government has announced the extension of healthcare coverage to ASHA and anganwadi workers under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri-Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). This publicly funded health insurance scheme is the largest in the world and provides coverage for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year. With a current coverage of 55 crore people, the government aims to provide timely and adequate finance to MSMEs, as announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the interim Budget. Follow Zee Biz for live updates on Budget 2024.