CHANDIGARH, Mar 31 : In a landmark achievement for universal healthcare, the Punjab Government has emerged as the first in the country to provide an annual cashless health cover of up to Rs10 lakh per family under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana.
Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh announced on Tuesday that the state has already registered over 30 lakh health cards, ensuring comprehensive medical security for nearly half of Punjab’s population.
This ambitious initiative doubles the Rs5 lakh cover previously offered under PM-JAY and extends eligibility to every resident of the state, regardless of income or region.
Reaffirming the administration’s commitment to public welfare, the Bhagwant Mann-led government has allocated a dedicated budget of Rs2,000 crore for the scheme in the 2026-27 fiscal year.
Dr. Balbir Singh emphasized that this transition marks a new benchmark in public healthcare by removing financial barriers and ensuring every citizen has access to dignified and timely medical treatment. The Minister highlighted that the rapid expansion of the program has been fueled by a massive grassroots campaign, including health camps organized at villages, schools, factories, and community centers, alongside door-to-door registration efforts through Seva Kendras and Common Service Centers.
The impact of the scheme is already visible through its utilization statistics, with approximately two lakh treatments, including over 43,000 surgical procedures, provided at a total cost exceeding Rs300 crore.
The most sought-after medical services include dialysis, cardiac procedures like angioplasty, orthopedic surgeries such as knee replacements, and cancer treatments.
The scheme has proven life-saving across all age groups; recent cases include a one-year-old in Sri Muktsar Sahib receiving treatment for pneumonia and a 98-year-old woman in Moga accessing chemotherapy.
In another instance, a patient named Sukhwinder Kaur from Manikpur received an emergency heart stent worth approximately Rs4 lakh entirely free of cost under the plan.
To ensure quality and accessibility, the Punjab Government has empanelled over 900 public and private hospitals, offering more than 2,300 specialized treatment packages. This extensive network allows beneficiaries to access high-quality healthcare near their homes without any out-of-pocket expenses.
As the state moves toward its ultimate goal of covering 65 lakh families, the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana is establishing itself as a robust pillar of Punjab’s social security framework, setting a national standard for the scale and scope of public health coverage, a release said.
(UNI)
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