Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government will launch Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) in convergence with the existing Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (G-JAY) in the state on April 1, which is Utkal Dibasa (Odisha Foundation Day).
A total of 1.03 crore families will come under the converged scheme with AB-PMJAY benefiting 67.8 lakh families and Gopabandhu Yojana covering 35.8 lakh families. It will provide a cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per annum with additional Rs 5 lakh for women members.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who chairing a high-level meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan on Wednesday, also announced the simultaneous launch of Ayushman Vay Vandana Yojana, a specialised scheme under which senior citizens aged 70 and above will receive health coverage of Rs 5 lakh, regardless of their income.
The Vay Vandana Yojana will specifically cater to 23.12 lakh elderly residents, including 6 lakh new beneficiaries not covered under existing schemes.
The government plans to launch the scheme simultaneously across all 1,438 primary health centres in the state, supported by a comprehensive awareness campaign. Beneficiaries will have access to cashless and quality treatment in over 29,000 government and private-empanelled hospitals nationwide.
The meeting was also attended by Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling.
Notably, Odisha, ruled by the BJD till June 2024, was among the few Opposition-ruled states that didn’t implement the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat scheme and launched its healthcare scheme instead.