NEW DELHI — In a major milestone for India’s healthcare landscape, the Government of West Bengal is officially set to join the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) tomorrow. The historic move brings the world’s largest publicly funded health assurance scheme to the citizens of West Bengal.
A formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, between the National Health Authority (NHA)—under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare—and the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal. With this signing, West Bengal will become the 36th State/Union Territory to roll out the flagship healthcare program, paving the way for equitable, accessible, and cashless medical care across the state.
The high-profile MoU ceremony will be presided over by Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Shri J.P. Nadda, in the presence of West Bengal Chief Minister, Shri Suvendu Adhikari.
Key Dignitaries Attending the Ceremony
The signing will take place in the presence of top central and state administrative leaders:
-
Shri J.P. Nadda — Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare (Presiding)
-
Shri Suvendu Adhikari — Chief Minister of West Bengal
-
Shri Pratap Rao Jadhav — Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare and Ministry of Ayush
-
Smt. Anupriya Patel — Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Chemicals and Fertilizers
-
Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava — Union Health Secretary
-
Shri Manoj Kumar Agarwal — Chief Secretary, West Bengal
What This Means for West Bengal’s Citizens
The implementation of AB PM-JAY marks a structural upgrade to the state’s medical infrastructure, delivering critical financial safety nets directly to the public:
-
₹5 Lakh Annual Health Cover: Eligible families will receive up to ₹5 lakh per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalizations.
-
Pan-India Portability: Beneficiaries from West Bengal can now access seamless, cashless treatment across a massive network of empanelled public and private hospitals anywhere in India.
-
Slashing Out-of-Pocket Expenses: The move is designed to offer robust financial protection against catastrophic, unexpected medical emergencies that frequently push families into financial distress.
-
Strengthening Local Healthcare: The integration will boost local public and private hospital ecosystems through structured central funding and standardized care protocols.
