look news india
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the long-awaited Diwali gift of Ayushman Bharat facility to senior citizens above 70 years of age as the Diwali festival begins in the country with the Dhanteras festival on Tuesday. Under this facility, now people above 70 years of age will be able to get free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh. PM Modi on Tuesday launched the new phase of Ayushman Bharat 'Niramayam'. Along with this, in a program at All India Ayurveda Institute, PM Modi donated Rs. Projects worth Rs 12,850 crore were started.
Senior citizens above 70 years of age in the country have been demanding the benefit of free treatment under Ayushyama Bharat for a long time. Prime Minister Modi has extended the Central Government's flagship health insurance scheme Ayushmaan Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya (ABPM-JAY) to senior citizens above 70 years of age. The scheme has been launched on the ninth day of Ayurveda and the birth anniversary of Dhanvantari, the Hindu god of medicine. The scheme was announced last month.
Under ABPM-JAY, senior citizens aged 70 years and above can now get free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh not only in government but also in private hospitals. More than 6 crore elders of about 4.5 crore families of the country will get the benefit of this scheme. Till now only low income families were included in this scheme. Now there will be no income limit in this scheme launched for senior citizens.
Under this scheme, senior citizens will be given a special Ayushmaan Vaya Vandana Card, which will be different from the family Ayushmaan scheme. This scheme will prove to be a milestone. This special card has started from today 29th October. PM Modi presented the first Ayushmaan Vaya Vandana Card to beneficiary Panchanan Shukla of Deoria, Uttar Pradesh at an event on Tuesday. This special Ayushmaan card for senior citizens will be generated through Ayushmaan app on BIS portal, for which senior citizens will also have to update their Aadhar card and KYC. They will have the option to choose between both private and Ayushman Bharat scheme insurance.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that all the elders were eagerly waiting for the expansion of Ayushman Yojana. If the government is formed at the Center for the third time, the election guarantee of bringing the elderly above 70 years of age under the ambit of Ayushmaan Yojana is being fulfilled. Throwing light on this, Modi said that this card is universal. There is no limit on income. Whether poor, middle class or rich, Lifetime Age Card will reduce health costs for the elderly. However, he said, “I am sad to say that this scheme will be applicable across the country, but not in Delhi and West Bengal.”