Bhubaneswar, Jan 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated the people of Odisha for the MoU signing between the National Health Authority under the Ministry of Health and family Welfare and Odisha's Health and Family Welfare Department for the implementation of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) in the eastern state.

PM Modi said that this scheme will ensure the highest-quality healthcare at affordable rates, particularly the Nari Shakti and the elderly of Odisha.

Replying to a post on X by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the Prime Minister on Monday wrote: "Congratulations to the people of Odisha! It was indeed a travesty that my sisters and brothers of Odisha were denied the benefits of Ayushman Bharat by the previous government. This scheme will ensure the highest-quality healthcare at affordable rates. It will particularly benefit the Nari Shakti and the elderly of Odisha."

Earlier, CM Majhi on his X handle expressed gratitude to PM Modi for the signing of MoU for the implementation of Ayushman Bharat in Odisha.

"I express my heartfelt gratitude to Hon'ble Prime Minister @narendramodiji for bringing Odisha on board this transformative scheme, which is focused on providing quality and affordable healthcare for all. In Odisha, beneficiaries will have access to cashless treatment at over 30,000 government and private hospitals across the country. Nearly 3 crore individuals from 1.3 crore families are set to benefit from this initiative," wrote Majhi.

The Odisha Chief Minister also declared that Ayushman Bharat Mandirs will be established in every Panchayat of Odisha with the goal of delivering healthcare services to rural areas.

"An instructor will be present at each Mandir, and we will also provide additional facilities and services alongside healthcare workers. The Government of Odisha remains committed to transforming the healthcare sector through various initiatives, paving the way toward a 'Viksit Odisha' by 2036 and a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047," added Majhi.

It is pertinent here to mention that Odisha on Monday became the 34th state to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).

The Health and Family Welfare department of Odisha on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Health Authority under the Union Health Ministry for the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme in the state.

The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) will be implemented in convergence with the existing Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY) in Odisha.

It will provide a cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per annum with an additional Rs 5 lakh for women members.

A total of approximately 1.03 crore families will come under the converged scheme with 67.8 lakh families supported by the Union government.

Addressing the gathering, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda remarked: "Today is a historic day for Odisha. AB PM-JAY is not only the world's largest health coverage scheme, but also the fastest to be implemented since conception."

He said that approximately 45 per cent of India's population is benefited through the AB PM-JAY scheme.

J.P. Nadda added that the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card launched in October 2024 will benefit approximately 6 crore people aged 70 years and above.

The Union Health Minister also stated that since the inception of the AB PM-JAY scheme, 8.19 crore hospital admissions have been recorded, with Rs 1.13 lakh crore spent on providing healthcare to the poor.

Quoting a recent Lancet study on Southeast Asia, J.P. Nadda revealed that AB PM-JAY has increased access to healthcare for cancer patients by 33 per cent.

On the occasion, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi mentioned: "People from our state, who were previously receiving treatment in around 900 empaneled hospitals, will now have access to cashless and quality treatment in over 29,000 government and private empaneled hospitals."

He stated that the converged schemes of GJAY and ABPM-JAY will cumulatively benefit around 4.5 crore people of Odisha with the help of a single card.

"The AB PM-JAY world’s largest health assurance scheme launched in 2018 by PM Modi insuring health coverage to more than 50 crore people in the country. However, for political reasons, in Odisha, the people were kept out of it as it was not implemented by the then state government. In order to correct the mistake, the state government took the decision to implement ABPM-JAY in the state as early as possible," said Majhi.

He said around one crore families in Odisha are provided health assurance under the state government's scheme Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana.

CM Majhi further said that every month, 1.50 lakh patients receive cashless treatment amounting up to Rs 350 crore at empaneled private hospitals.

"However, there are certain limitations. At present, the beneficiaries are availing cashless treatment at only 900 empaneled private hospitals. Also, the people staying outside the state are deprived of the service under the scheme. These twin flaws will be corrected through the implementation of ABPM-JAY. The beneficiaries can avail cashless treatment in more than 29,000 government and private hospitals in India," added CM Majhi. (IANS)

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