Rs 10-lakh health cover for each family in Punjab from Oct 2, claim CM Bhagwant Mann & AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal
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Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday announced the extension of health insurance cover to each family in the state, offering Rs 10 lakh per annum under 'Mukh Mantri Sehat Beema Yojana'.
An official said each beneficiary will be issued a health card, and the registration for "free and cashless" treatment will be rolled out from Oct 2. The scheme will cover all 65 lakh families in the state, said Mann.
Mann added that under this scheme, all residents of Punjab will be entitled to cashless treatment worth Rs 10 lakh. He said this free treatment will be available across all govt and empanelled private hospitals.
Mann criticised previous administrations, lamenting their "lacklustre performance" and failure to address healthcare issues.
Earlier, in his budget speech in March, finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said Punjab will expand its health insurance scheme to cover all 65 lakh families with a Rs 10-lakh annual limit, including a Rs 5 lakh top-up for Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries, and issuance of 'Sehat Cards' for cashless treatment.
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At present, 45 lakh Punjab families are enrolled in govt health insurance, with 16 lakh under Centre's Ayushman Bharat and 29 lakh under Mukh Mantri Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana, both capped at Rs 5 lakh annually.
The govt will now universalise this scheme, covering all 65 lakh families in the state with a Rs 10-lakh annual limit, he said.
The CM said health cards would be issued to the public for free and without formalities. Mann also criticised previous govts for "patronising" smugglers, gangsters, and other criminals who made Punjab their stronghold. He added his govt had initiated a "crusade" to eliminate these "anti-national elements", vowing that this "blot" on the state's reputation would soon be erased. An official clarified that the scheme had no income, age, or gender restrictions, ensuring its inclusivity for all residents of Punjab.
The scheme was announced in the 2025-26 budget, and a sum of Rs 778 crore was allocated for it.
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