West Bengal to join Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY as 36th state, MoU on Monday
Synopsis
West Bengal — one of the last major holdouts — is finally joining Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY as the 36th state, completing the scheme's near-nationwide reach. Monday's MoU signing brings ₹5 lakh annual health cover to eligible families and, crucially, nationwide portability for cashless treatment — a direct benefit for the state's large migrant worker population.
Key Takeaways
West Bengal will become the 36th State/UT to join Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY after an MoU signing on 9 June 2025 .
The agreement will be signed between the National Health Authority (NHA) and the Government of West Bengal , presided over by Union Health Minister J.P.
Eligible families will receive health insurance of up to ₹5 lakh per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation.
Beneficiaries gain access to the scheme's portability feature , enabling cashless treatment at empanelled hospitals across India.
West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari and senior officials from both the Centre and the state are expected at the ceremony.
West Bengal is set to become the 36th State or Union Territory in India to join the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), with a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) scheduled to be signed on Monday, 9 June 2025. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced the development on Sunday, describing it as a significant step in India's push toward universal health coverage.
The MoU Signing Ceremony
The agreement will be executed between the National Health Authority (NHA), operating under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal. Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda will preside over the ceremony.
Among those expected to attend are West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Union Ministers of State Pratap Rao Jadhav and Anupriya Patel, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, and West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Agarwal.
What West Bengal Residents Stand to Gain
Once enrolled, eligible families in West Bengal will receive health insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation. The scheme is designed to shield vulnerable households from catastrophic out-of-pocket medical expenses by routing treatment through a wide network of empanelled public and private hospitals.
Notably, beneficiaries will also be able to use the scheme's portability feature, enabling cashless treatment at empanelled hospitals anywhere in the country — a particularly significant benefit for migrant workers and those who travel for specialised care.
Why This Matters for India's Health Mission
West Bengal's inclusion completes the near-nationwide footprint of AB PM-JAY, one of the world's largest government-funded health insurance programmes. Since its launch, the scheme has been positioned as a primary instrument for reducing financial barriers to hospitalisation for low-income families.
This comes amid a broader Centre push to accelerate universal health coverage targets. West Bengal had been among the few remaining large states outside the programme, making its entry a politically and administratively notable development. Officials indicated the move will strengthen healthcare delivery in the state while contributing to the national goal of equitable access to quality care.
Background on AB PM-JAY
Launched in 2018, Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY provides free hospitalisation coverage to economically vulnerable families identified through the Socio-Economic Caste Census. It covers over 1,900 medical procedures and operates across thousands of empanelled hospitals nationwide. The scheme has consistently been cited by the Health Ministry as a key pillar of India's social protection architecture.
With Monday's signing, all but no major states will remain outside the programme, marking a structural milestone in India's healthcare governance.
Point of View
Which ran its own health programme, Swasthya Sathi. The change signals a sharp policy pivot under the new administration. The real measure of impact will be enrolment velocity and hospital empanelment quality — two areas where late-joining states have historically lagged. With one of India's largest populations and a significant migrant workforce, West Bengal's integration could meaningfully move the scheme's national coverage numbers, but only if implementation keeps pace with the headline announcement.
NationPress
24 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY?
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) is a Central government health insurance scheme launched in 2018 that provides eligible low-income families with up to ₹5 lakh per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation. It covers over 1,900 medical procedures across empanelled public and private hospitals nationwide.
Why is West Bengal joining PM-JAY significant?
West Bengal is one of the last major states to join the scheme, making it the 36th State or Union Territory to do so. Its inclusion effectively completes the near-nationwide rollout of what is among the world's largest government-funded health insurance programmes.
When will West Bengal officially join the scheme?
The formal MoU between the National Health Authority and the Government of West Bengal is scheduled to be signed on Monday, 9 June 2025, at a ceremony presided over by Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda.
Who will benefit from PM-JAY in West Bengal?
Eligible families in West Bengal — identified primarily through the Socio-Economic Caste Census — will receive up to ₹5 lakh per year in cashless hospitalisation cover. They will also be able to use the portability feature to access treatment at empanelled hospitals anywhere in India.
What is the portability feature of PM-JAY?
The portability feature allows PM-JAY beneficiaries to avail cashless treatment at any empanelled hospital across the country, not just in their home state. This is particularly relevant for migrant workers and patients travelling for specialised medical care.
