Surendranagar (Gujarat), Oct 13 (NationPress) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has initiated various welfare schemes aimed at uplifting the populace, and one notable program making a remarkable difference in Gujarat is the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). Numerous residents in Surendranagar district are accessing complimentary healthcare services provided through this initiative.

Through PMJAY, the government offers free medical treatment amounting to up to Rs 5 lakh per family annually, which has been a crucial support for many beneficiaries.

Vipulbhai Bagaria, a local of Surendranagar, shared how the scheme aided his family when his father required heart surgery. He recounted that the total cost of Rs 1,78,000 was fully covered using the Ayushman card.

"My father required a bypass operation. We obtained the Ayushman card from Surendranagar District Hospital. The government financed the entire expense. Without this scheme, we would have needed to borrow or seek assistance from others. It’s unimaginable how middle-class families like ours would cope without it," Bagaria told IANS.

He also expressed gratitude for the straightforward process of obtaining the card and commended the hospital staff and doctors for their assistance.

Launched on September 23, 2018, in Ranchi, Jharkhand, AB PM-JAY stands as the world’s most extensive government-funded health protection project. This flagship scheme aims to provide healthcare coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family annually for both secondary and tertiary care hospital admissions. The initiative is set to benefit around 55 crore individuals, encompassing approximately 12.37 crore families — targeting the economically disadvantaged 40% of India’s population.

As of August 1, 2025, over 79.75 crore ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) IDs have been issued, with 65.34 crore Electronic Health Records (EHRs) integrated across various health platforms, guaranteeing seamless and digitized access to health services.

The PM-JAY initiative aims to eliminate barriers in healthcare accessibility and affordability. Families eligible for the scheme are identified based on deprivation and occupational criteria derived from the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011, applicable in both rural and urban settings.

PM-JAY is entirely financed by the government, with implementation expenses shared by the Central and State Governments. Its goal is to alleviate the financial strain on impoverished and vulnerable families due to unforeseen hospital expenses while ensuring their access to quality healthcare services.