Health scheme clubbed with Centre's Ayushman Bharat programme

Puducherry, Jan 14 (PTI): The state government-levelscheme under which medical assistance was given to the poorpeople here has been merged with the Centrally-sponsoredAyushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arokiya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).

Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi had approvedof the merger with the AB-PMJAY, one of the flagshipprogrammes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with effect fromWednesday, a press release said here.

The integration has been effected on the advice ofUnion Home Minister Amit Shah.

The merger would help families under below povertyline(BPL) in the Union Territory to avail themselves of cashlessspeciality treatment upto Rs 5 lakhs per annum in any of theempaneled government or private hospitals by producingidentity card, BPL ration card, Aadhar card.

The government would settle the hospital bill directly.

The Lieutenant Governor thanked the Centre for theintegration of the scheme with the Centre's health insuranceprogramme ensuring health safety of the BPL families.