Odisha prepares for integration of Ayushman Bharat scheme with Gopabandhu Yojana

Bhubaneswar, Dec 19: A central team has arrived in Bhubaneswar to finalize the integration process of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) with the Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY), a state-funded health scheme.

Health and Family Welfare Secretary Aswathy S announced this development on Thursday, indicating that the Ayushman Bharat scheme will soon be implemented in Odisha.

The three-member delegation, led by LS Changsan, CEO of the National Health Authority (NHA), engaged in discussions with Aswathy, NHM Mission Director Dr. Brundha D, and other senior officials to address the complexities involved in merging the two healthcare initiatives. The team also conferred with Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja and Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling.

Previously known as the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), the GJAY provides annual cashless treatment up to ₹5 lakh per family, with an additional ₹5 lakh for women beneficiaries. Introduced by the former BJD government in 2018 amid disputes over beneficiary numbers and eligibility under the central scheme, integrating it with AB-PMJAY poses significant challenges.

The Odisha government is preparing to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for this integration, which aims to enhance coverage through a unified health card in the state. Currently, GJAY covers approximately 3.5 crore individuals across 1.1 crore families, while the merger is expected to extend benefits to an additional 67.8 lakh families. New health cards will be issued in January following the official signing of the MoU.