The Aryavarth Express
Agency( Bihar): In an impressive statewide initiative from March 2nd, Bihar has successfully issued over 1 crore health cards as part of the ‘Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana,’ Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary revealed. This achievement was part of a focused six-day effort to enhance healthcare accessibility for the state’s residents. Chaudhary highlighted the NDA government’s commitment to providing annual free medical treatment up to Rs 5 lakh for all ration card holders in the state under this scheme.
The deputy chief minister elaborated on the significant impact of this initiative, noting that the distribution of Ayushman Bharat cards to 1.03 crore families within this brief period (up until the morning of March 8) represents a substantial accomplishment for the state administration. He underscored the integration of healthcare benefits with existing welfare measures, stating that all ration card holders eligible under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), already recipients of 5 kg of rice, will now also benefit from comprehensive medical treatment coverage.
Chaudhary, who also manages the health department, provided details on the scheme’s reach, indicating that approximately 1.2 crore families in Bihar are now beneficiaries of the Ayushman Bharat program. The recent campaign has significantly extended these benefits to an additional 1.03 crore families under the NFS Act.
The initiative saw varied responses across different districts, with Siwan leading in card issuance at 5,99,609, followed by Muzaffarpur, Patna, and Madhubani, showcasing the widespread acceptance and implementation of the scheme. Conversely, districts like Munger, Kishanganj, Sheikhpura, and Sheohar witnessed lower registration figures.
This development follows a cabinet decision led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in February to broaden the Ayushman Bharat scheme’s scope to encompass all ration card holders across the state. The ‘Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana’ stands as a central government initiative aimed at providing health insurance to low-income families, symbolizing a collaborative effort between the Union government and state administrations to improve public health infrastructure and access.