Healthcare for All: Over 25.72 lakh families in J&K gain access to health insurance

SRINAGAR, OCT 19: In a significant stride towards healthcare accessibility, over 25.72 lakh families in Jammu and Kashmir are now covered under health insurance, as revealed in the Ministry of Home Affairs annual report for the year 2022-23.

The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir launched the Universal Health Coverage scheme, including the AB-PMJAY SEHAT Scheme in convergence with ABPMJAY, from December 26, 2020. This initiative provides health insurance cover of up to 5.00 lakh per family on a floater basis to all families in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the report, the health insurance coverage encompasses 25.72 lakh families, with 5.98 lakh families benefiting from the PM-JAY (Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana) scheme and 19.74 lakh families under the UT scheme SEHAT. Of the 97.17 lakh eligible beneficiaries, 78.12 lakh beneficiaries have been successfully verified under PM-JAY and PM-JAY SEHAT, with 78.06 lakh issued Golden Cards.

Moreover, 92.66% of families, which amounts to 23.22 lakh, have been registered with at least one family member verified under the PM-JAY and AB-PMJAY SEHAT schemes.

The Ministry of Home Affairs report also highlights the welfare measures provided to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir. Around 25 lakh individuals in the UT received various welfare measures through the Social Welfare Department, which included financial support, counseling, awareness programs, and visits. The report notes the achievement of 100% saturation in Old Age, Widow, and Divyangjan (specially-abled) schemes, with 10,38,154 pensioners receiving monthly payments of 1,000/- each.

In a significant step towards social inclusion, for the first time, transgender individuals are now covered under Social Security Schemes. Additionally, 5.5 lakh individuals from minority communities, Scheduled Castes (SC), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and Pahari Speaking People (PSP) students have benefitted from various scholarship schemes.

The report also underscores the progress in healthcare infrastructure development in Jammu and Kashmir. The construction of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Jammu and AIIMS Awantipora is advancing rapidly. Furthermore, seven new government medical colleges are being established, and 15 nursing colleges are set to become operational during the year 2022-23. Two state cancer institutes are on track to become fully functional. An investment of 881 crore is allocated for rebuilding and upgrading 140 health institutions, while the intake capacity of MBBS courses has been augmented from 500 to 1100. These measures collectively aim to enhance healthcare access and quality, ensuring that the residents of Jammu and Kashmir receive the best possible medical care and support.

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