The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), India’s national health insurance program, has been fully implemented in all states and union territories, with West Bengal becoming the 36th to do so. As a result, millions of eligible residents of the state will be able to access healthcare without using their own money, and the nation’s push for universal health coverage will gain momentum.
After signing a memorandum of understanding with the National Health Authority on Monday, West Bengal became the 36th state or union territory to implement Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY. This is the last step in rolling out India’s premier health assurance program, which began in 2018 and has since offered over 12 crore treatments valued at over Rs 1.82 lakh crore.
The National Health Authority (NHA) under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the West Bengal Department of Health and Family Welfare signed the MoU to execute the initiative in West Bengal. A number of high-ranking officials from the two administrations were present at the ceremony, including JP Nadda, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Suvendu Adhikari, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Anupriya Patel, Punya Salila Srivastava, the Union Health Secretary, and others.
Nadda, speaking at the event, hailed the move as a watershed moment in India’s fight for healthcare for all. The world’s largest government-funded health guarantee program, Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, was started in September 2018 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said.
In a statement highlighting the program’s successes, the health minister claimed that over 12 crore treatments, valued at over Rs 1.82 lakh crore, have been made available to recipients, providing significant financial security to low-income and vulnerable families nationwide. As an additional benefit of healthcare reforms and easier access to affordable treatment, he mentioned that out-of-pocket healthcare spending has fallen from 64.6% before 2018 to 43.4% now.
Nadda asserts that the efficient and high-quality healthcare services provided to beneficiaries have been made possible by the scheme’s entirely digital architecture, which eliminates the need for cash and paper. Nearly 90% of eligible cancer patients covered under PM-JAY were able to begin treatment within 30 days, he noted, citing statistics published in The Lancet as evidence of the program’s success in boosting healthcare access.
The Union Minister was also effusive in her admiration of the 14-year-old HPV vaccination campaign that the government of West Bengal began on May 30, 2026. Over 33,000 girls have been vaccinated so far out of a target of 7.65 lakh beneficiaries, and he disclosed that the effort will play a key role in preventing cervical cancer.
The state’s chief minister, Suvendu Adhikari, expressed gratitude to the federal government for its ongoing backing of efforts to improve healthcare delivery in the country. Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY has now reached statewide implementation with West Bengal’s participation, further demonstrating India’s dedication to offering inexpensive and accessible healthcare to all residents.
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