New Delhi: The health coverage for all citizens aged 70 years and above irrespective of their income status under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is likely to be rolled out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 29, an official source said.
The U-WIN portal developed for maintaining an electronic registry of routine immunisations, which is currently operational on a pilot basis, will also be launched by the prime minister on the same day.
Besides the two, some other projects will also be launched on Tuesday, the source said.
Last month, the government approved health coverage for all senior citizens in this group under AB-PMJAY. Sources indicate that pilot projects have been conducted across various regions in India to evaluate the scheme’s readiness. Senior citizens will receive coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per year on a family basis, with the UWIN app facilitating appointment scheduling.
This initiative seeks to offer essential support to senior citizens by meeting their healthcare needs through the largest publicly funded health assurance scheme in the world.
Currently, covering 550 million individuals across 123.4 million families, the scheme will now add an extra layer of protection specifically for senior citizens.
The expansion of the beneficiary base follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of the initiative in April 2024. Previously, in January 2022, the government had expanded the AB PM-JAY scheme to cover 123.4 million families, reflecting India’s population growth.
