New Delhi: Ayushman Bharat, the Centre’s flagship healthcare initiative, has completed eight years since the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) on September 23, 2018. The scheme has expanded significantly over the period, with the government reporting that more than 60 crore people have been covered under the wider Ayushman Bharat framework.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking the anniversary, highlighted the scheme’s role in expanding access to affordable healthcare and reducing the financial burden of medical treatment. He said Ayushman Bharat was introduced with the objective of ensuring that people could access quality healthcare without facing prohibitive costs.
Under PM-JAY, eligible families receive cashless hospitalisation cover of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care. The scheme is aimed particularly at economically vulnerable sections of society.
According to the latest government figures, more than 48.5 crore Ayushman cards had been issued by September 2026. The scheme had also supported approximately 13.25 crore hospital admissions, involving treatment worth around ₹2.03 lakh crore, through a network of more than 38,000 empanelled public and private hospitals.
The government has progressively widened the scheme’s reach. Benefits have also been extended to senior citizens aged 70 years and above, while special coverage has been introduced for frontline workers and their families.
Focus on Primary Healthcare
Ayushman Bharat’s expansion goes beyond hospitalisation. Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are being developed to strengthen primary healthcare and bring essential health services closer to communities. Government data says these centres have recorded hundreds of crores of visits, reflecting their growing role in preventive and primary healthcare delivery.
The broader Ayushman Bharat framework also includes the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) and the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), which focus on digital health infrastructure and strengthening healthcare facilities.
Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda said the scheme has transformed healthcare access for millions of people. On its eighth anniversary, he said the government’s objective remains to build a healthcare system that is accessible, affordable and inclusive.
The scheme is currently operational across all 36 States and Union Territories, according to government information. Its expansion has also been accompanied by efforts to increase hospital capacity, digital access and portability of benefits across state boundaries.
Eight years after its launch, Ayushman Bharat continues to represent one of the government’s major efforts to expand financial protection and access to hospital care, while its associated programmes seek to strengthen India’s healthcare system from primary care to specialised treatment.
Source: Government of India / Press Information Bureau