West Bengal joins Ayushman Bharat scheme

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

The National Health Authority (NHA) under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Health and Family 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.

Congratulating the West Bengal Government for joining AB PM-JAY, the Union Health Minister stated that Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY has now emerged as the world’s largest government-sponsored health assurance scheme after its launch in September 2018.

The Union Health Minister highlighted that beneficiaries under the scheme have benefited from over 12 crore treatments worth more than 1.82 lakh crore, providing significant financial protection to poor and vulnerable families. He stated that one of the most important results of the government’s efforts was the decrease in out-of-pocket health expenditures, which were 64.6% before 2018, to 43.4% today.

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

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

The Union Health Minister also appreciated the Government of West Bengal for launching the HPV Vaccination Program for 14-year-old adolescent girls on May 30, 2026. He stated that the initiative will play a significant role in preventing cervical cancer and informed that out of the targeted 7.65 lakh beneficiaries, more than 33,000 girls have already been vaccinated under the programme.

Speaking at the event, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari stated that the Government of India, under the National Health Mission, has recently released ₹527 crore to West Bengal, which will further support healthcare infrastructure and service delivery across the state.

The Chief Minister welcomed the implementation of AB PM-JAY in West Bengal and stated that around 1.24 crore eligible families in the State will now be able to avail health insurance under the scheme, providing greater financial protection and access to quality healthcare services including ASHAs, Aanganwadi Workers and senior citizens, taking the total number of beneficiary families to 1.43 crore.