The Delhi government has moved to expand access to comprehensive health coverage under the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) by including beneficiaries of its widow and disability pension programmes.
A decision taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta will add an estimated 3.97 lakh widows and 1.31 lakh persons with disabilities to the scheme’s roster. This extension also makes their families eligible for benefits under the health protection programme, bringing roughly 5.5 lakh additional families in the national capital under its umbrella.
Those newly included join other vulnerable groups already covered under PM-JAY in Delhi, such as households under Antyodaya Anna Yojana and Priority Household categories, senior citizens over 70, ASHA workers, and Anganwadi workers and helpers. The government has framed this move as a step to strengthen health security and ensure that financial barriers do not prevent economically disadvantaged residents from accessing necessary medical care.
The expansion is part of ongoing efforts to make the Ayushman Bharat scheme more inclusive within the capital. As of now, over 7.23 lakh Ayushman cards have been issued in Delhi, including significant coverage for senior citizens, and the scheme’s network includes 208 empanelled hospitals — 156 private and 53 government facilities. More than 29,000 beneficiaries have received treatment under the scheme through the State Health Agency so far, illustrating how the programme operates on the ground in the city.
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