JP Nadda Marks Landmark Expansion As West Bengal Adopts PM-JAY

West Bengal on Monday became the 36th State and Union Territory to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), completing the nationwide rollout of the Centre’s flagship healthcare protection scheme.

The National Health Authority (NHA) under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the West Bengal Department of Health and Family Welfare.

The agreement enables the implementation of the scheme across the state.

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda presided over the signing ceremony. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari attended the event along with Union Minister Anupriya Patel.

Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava and senior officials from both governments also participated.

Addressing the gathering, Nadda described the development as a landmark achievement in India’s pursuit of universal health coverage. He congratulated the West Bengal government for joining the initiative.

The Union Health Minister said Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY was launched in September 2018 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

JP Nadda said the scheme has become the world’s largest government-funded health assurance programme. He highlighted that beneficiaries have availed more than 12 crore treatments worth over Rs 1.82 lakh crore under the scheme.

JP Nadda noted that the programme has provided substantial financial protection to economically vulnerable families across the country.

Nadda stated that out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure has declined from 64.6 per cent before 2018 to 43.4 per cent, reflecting improved affordability and access to medical services. He added that the scheme’s cashless, paperless and fully digital framework has strengthened healthcare delivery.

Referring to findings published in The Lancet, JP Nadda highlighted the impact of PM-JAY on cancer care. He further said nearly 90 per cent of eligible cancer patients commenced treatment within 30 days.

The Minister also praised West Bengal’s HPV vaccination programme launched on May 30, 2026, for girls aged 14 years. He said the initiative would help prevent cervical cancer and revealed that over 33,000 girls have already received vaccinations out of a target of 7.65 lakh beneficiaries.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari thanked the Centre for its continued assistance in strengthening healthcare infrastructure and services across West Bengal.

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