Bhubaneswar:  The Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) will be implemented in Odisha alongside the State's own health scheme Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY) soon, informed State’s Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling on Tuesday.

Speaking to the media persons, Minister Mahaling said, “The Ayushman Bharat Yojana will be implemented in Odisha very soon. More than 3 crore people from 1 crore family will be issued a new and distinct card under the scheme once the Ayushman Bharat and Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana are rolled out in the State. The beneficiaries can use their cards at any of the 27,000 empanelled hospitals from across the country and can avail cashless treatment.

“The migrant workers, who were earlier facing problems for treatment, will now be able to visit any of the empanelled hospitals and get medical treatment freely,” he added saying people aged 70 or above will also be eligible to apply for the scheme.

While 67 lakh eligible families of the State will be covered in Ayushman Bharat, 33 lakh families will be included in the Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana, the Minister said.

Under these health schemes, a medical coverage of Rs 10 lakh and Rs 5 lakh will be provided to each female and male beneficiary respectively, he added.

Notably, the previous Biju Janata Dal government in Odisha had refused to participate in Ayushman Bharat, asserting that its own health initiative, the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), now renamed as Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana, was superior.

Launched in September 2018, AB PM-JAY is designed to offer comprehensive health coverage to individuals from economically vulnerable families, ensuring that they receive necessary medical care without incurring catastrophic financial burdens.

The AB PM-JAY scheme covers a wide range of medical procedures across various specialties, including surgery, oncology, and cardiology, and provides cashless treatment in empanelled hospitals.

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