Ayushman Bharat –PMJAY Gets Record ₹9,406 Crore Allocation for FY 2025-26

The Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), India’s flagship health insurance programme, has received its highest budget allocation since 2020, amounting to ₹9,406 crore for FY 2025-26. This reflects the government’s continued commitment to achieving universal health coverage and strengthening the healthcare safety net for economically weaker citizens.

Key Highlights

• Record Funding: The ₹9,406 crore allocation marks a significant rise, ensuring wider coverage, improved hospital infrastructure, and faster claim settlements.
  
• Massive Financial Relief: Since its launch in 2018, AB-PMJAY has helped households save over ₹1.52 lakh crore in out-of-pocket medical expenses, reducing the financial burden on millions of families.
  
• Expanded Reach: The scheme provides cashless treatment up to ₹5 lakh per family per year across more than 30,000 empanelled hospitals, both public and private.
  
• Digital Health Integration: The scheme is increasingly linked with Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) for seamless beneficiary identification, e-health records, and data-driven monitoring.
  
• Focus on Inclusivity: Priority continues for women, older citizens, and vulnerable groups to ensure equitable access to healthcare.

• Expanded Coverage: In the latest expansion, the government has extended AB-PMJAY benefits to ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, Anganwadi helpers, and older citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of their socio-economic status.

Conclusion

The record ₹9,406 crore allocation for FY 2025-26 underscores Ayushman Bharat–PMJAY’s vital role in India’s public health ecosystem. By saving citizens over ₹1.52 lakh crore in medical costs, the scheme has not only provided financial security but also enhanced trust in institutional healthcare. As digital integration deepens and coverage expands, AB-PMJAY continues to move India closer to its goal of affordable and universal healthcare for all.

FAQs

1. What is Ayushman Bharat – PMJAY?

Ans: It is India’s flagship health insurance scheme, providing cashless treatment up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care at empanelled public and private hospitals.

2. What is the recent budget allocation for the scheme?

Ans: In the Union Budget 2025-26, the government allocated ₹9,406 crore for AB-PMJAY — the highest allocation since 2020, aimed at expanding coverage and improving healthcare infrastructure.

3. How much financial relief has the scheme provided so far?

Ans: Since its launch in 2018, Ayushman Bharat–PMJAY has helped beneficiaries save over ₹1.52 lakh crore in out-of-pocket medical expenses.

4. Who is eligible for Ayushman Bharat–PMJAY?

Ans:

• Families identified in the SECC-2011 (Socio-Economic Caste Census) database.
  
• Vulnerable and low-income households including daily wage earners, rural poor, and informal workers.
  
• No premium or age limit is required for beneficiaries.
  

5. What type of treatments are covered?

Ans: It covers hospitalisation, surgeries, diagnostics, maternity, and follow-up care across 1,500+ medical packages for diseases including cardiac, cancer, and orthopaedic conditions.