In an effort to make healthcare more accessible in Delhi, the BJP-led Delhi government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central government on Saturday to start the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in the city.

With this step, Delhi has become the 35th state or Union Territory to launch this health insurance scheme. Now, West Bengal is the only state that has not yet implemented the scheme. The Ayushman Bharat scheme offers free and cashless treatment for 1,961 medical procedures across 27 specialties. It covers everything from medicines, diagnostic tests , and hospital stays to ICU care and surgeries.

In Delhi, eligible families will get health coverage of up to ₹10 lakh every year — ₹5 lakh from the Central Government and an additional ₹5 lakh as a top-up from the Delhi Government. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Delhi government and the National Health Authority. The signing took place in the presence of Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, along with other officials. The National Health Authority is the top organisation in charge of carrying out the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme.

After the MoU is signed, a special campaign will be started to register people under the scheme. The BJP, which returned to power in Delhi in February after more than 26 years, approved the scheme in its very first cabinet meeting. This happened right after Gupta and six of her ministers took the oath on February 20.