‘Historic moment’, says Nadda as Odisha joins Ayushman Bharat health coverage scheme

PTI, Jan 13, 2025, 7:02 PM IST

New Delhi: Odisha joining the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri-Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) is a historic moment, Union Health Minister JP Nadda said on Monday as it inked an MoU to become the 34th state/Union Territory to implement the flagship health coverage scheme of the Centre.

The National Health Authority (NHA) on Monday signed the MoU with Odisha government’s health and family welfare department at the Vigyan Bhavan here in the presence of Nadda to implement AB PM-JAY in the state.

Stating that 45 pet cent of India’s population are covered under the health coverage scheme, Nadda said since 2018, more than 8 crore hospitalisations have been recorded under AB PM-JAY.

Hospitalisation has significantly increased in the far-flung and remote areas of the country due to better access to health facilities aided by the scheme, the minister said.

Political ego should not come in the way of states while choosing people-centric schemes, Nadda added.