Ayushman Bharat Yojana

Overview

Ayushman Bharat Yojana is India’s flagship health protection scheme, launched in 2018 as recommended by the National Health Policy 2017 to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC). It represents a paradigm shift from a sectoral, disease-specific approach to a comprehensive, need-based healthcare delivery model. The scheme has two major components: Health and Wellness Centres (now Ayushman Arogya Mandirs) for comprehensive primary healthcare, and Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation insurance.

Together, these two pillars create a continuum of care — from prevention and primary care at the community level to cashless hospitalisation for catastrophic illnesses. As of February 2026, India has operationalised 1,84,235 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and issued 43.52 crore Ayushman cards under PMJAY, making Ayushman Bharat the world’s largest government-funded healthcare programme.

Component 1 — Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (formerly Health and Wellness Centres)

The first component transforms existing Sub Health Centres (SHCs), Primary Health Centres (PHCs), and Urban PHCs into Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) that deliver Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC) — free and universal, available to all citizens regardless of income.

Target and Progress

• Original target: 1,50,000 HWCs to be operational
• As of June 2025: over 1.78 lakh active AAMs
• As of February 2026: 1,84,235 AAMs operational — exceeding the original target

Services Provided (12 packages of CPHC)

1. Maternal and child health services (including immunisation)
2. Management of communicable diseases (TB, leprosy, vector-borne diseases)
3. Screening and management of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) — hypertension, diabetes, cancer
4. Mental health services
5. Care for elderly and palliative care
6. Emergency medical services
7. Eye care and ENT services
8. Oral health services
9. Free essential drugs and diagnostics
10. Yoga and wellness activities
11. Health promotion and prevention
12. Screening for common cancers (oral, breast, cervical)

Community Health Officers (CHOs)

Each AAM is staffed by a Community Health Officer (CHO) — typically a BSc Nursing or BAMS graduate with a 6-month bridge course in community health. CHOs serve as the primary care provider at the AAM, supported by ASHAs and ANMs.

Component 2 — Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY)

The second component provides health insurance cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation across public and private empanelled hospitals. As of February 2026:

• 43.52 crore Ayushman cards issued
• 11.69 crore hospital admissions authorised worth Rs. 1.73 lakh crore
• 36,229 hospitals empanelled (19,483 public + 16,746 private)
• Over 1,900 treatment packages covering medical, surgical, and day-care procedures
• Beneficiary identification through SECC 2011 data — covering bottom 40% (~12 crore families)

Budget Allocations (FY 2025-26)

Latest Developments

• February 2026: 1,84,235 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs operational — exceeding the original 1.5 lakh target; 43.52 crore PMJAY cards issued
• Union Budget 2025-26: Rs. 9,406 crore for PMJAY (29% increase); Rs. 4,200 crore for PMABHIM (40% increase); PMJAY extended to 1 crore gig workers
• October 2025: Ayushman Bharat declared world’s largest healthcare scheme covering 12 crore families, saving Rs. 1.52 lakh crore in out-of-pocket costs
• October 2024: Ayushman Vay Vandana launched for all senior citizens aged 70+
• March 2024: 37 lakh ASHAs, AWWs, AWHs and families added to PMJAY
• AAMs now provide NCD screening (hypertension, diabetes, cancer) as a core primary care service, reaching populations that previously had no access to preventive healthcare

Prelims Importance

• Ayushman Bharat recommended by National Health Policy 2017 for Universal Health Coverage
• Two components: AAMs (primary care) + PMJAY (Rs. 5 lakh insurance)
• 1,84,235 AAMs operational (February 2026) — exceeded original target of 1.5 lakh
• AAMs deliver 12 packages of Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC)
• Community Health Officers (CHOs) staff each AAM
• PMJAY: 43.52 crore cards; 36,229 hospitals; 12 crore families covered
• PMJAY launched 23 September 2018 from Ranchi
• NHA is the implementing body — autonomous under Society Registration Act, 1860
• PMABHIM allocated Rs. 4,200 crore (FY 2025-26) for health infrastructure

Mains & Interview Importance

GS Paper 2 — Health, Governance

• Analyse how the twin pillars of Ayushman Bharat — preventive primary care (AAMs) and curative insurance (PMJAY) — together address the challenge of Universal Health Coverage in India.
• Discuss the role of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in strengthening India’s primary healthcare system. How do they address the urban-rural healthcare divide?

GS Paper 3 — Economy

• Evaluate the fiscal sustainability of Ayushman Bharat given its expanding coverage. How can the scheme be financed without crowding out other social sector spending?

Interview Angle

• “Ayushman Bharat has two components — prevention at AAMs and treatment under PMJAY. In a resource-constrained setting, which component deserves more investment, and why?”