NEW DELHI: The Delhi government, now under BJP leadership, has officially partnered with the central government to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in the national capital.
With the signing of a formal agreement on Saturday, Delhi became the 35th state or Union Territory to adopt the flagship health insurance scheme, leaving West Bengal as the only state yet to join.
Under the AB-PMJAY, eligible households in Delhi will now receive annual health insurance coverage of ₹10 lakh, jointly funded by the Centre and the Delhi government with ₹5 lakh contributed by each. The scheme covers 1,961 medical procedures across 27 specialties, including diagnostics, medicines, hospitalisation, surgical care, and intensive treatment.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Delhi officials and the National Health Authority, with Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta in attendance at the signing ceremony.
Speaking at the event, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the decision marked the end of a long-standing gap in healthcare accessibility for Delhi residents. “For years, the people of Delhi were deprived of Ayushman Bharat benefits due to political confrontation with the Centre. While citizens across the country had access to life-saving treatment, Delhiites were left behind,” she stated.
“It is a proud moment for Delhi. By adding ₹5 lakh to the Centre’s coverage, we are now offering a total of ₹10 lakh in health insurance to eligible households,” she added.
The National Health Authority (NHA) will oversee the implementation of the scheme in Delhi. A focused registration drive will soon begin to enroll eligible beneficiaries.
The rollout follows the BJP’s return to power in Delhi after a 26-year hiatus, with the scheme’s approval taking place during the new cabinet’s first meeting following the February 20 swearing-in of CM Gupta and her ministers.
