The Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government created a new record by issuing 6.63 lakh new Ayushman cards in a day. The feat was achieved yesterday when the state breached its old record of issuing 6.42 lakh new cards set on 1st October.
State Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak lauded the achievement and stressed that this pace should continue as it is. He said, “Uttar Pradesh broke its old record (6.42 lakh) in making Ayushman cards, the highest number in a single day in the entire country. Made 6.63 lakh cards, hearty congratulations, and best wishes to all the health workers associated with the scheme.”
The Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana has been running for the last five years, but there has been an upsurge in the issuance of new Ayushman Cards as more than 65 lakh people have reportedly applied for the same in the last 21 days, since 17th September. Out of them, more than 54 lakh people have already received their new cards post-verification process.
As per official figures, the total number of beneficiaries under this scheme in the state is around 7.56 crore. So far, more than 3.62 crore beneficiaries have been issued Ayushman cards.
Currently, UP is placed in second position in the country in terms of issuing cards for Ayushman beneficiaries while Madhya Pradesh with 3.69 crore beneficiaries is in first position. However, the latest trend suggests that UP may soon become the number 1 state in issuing the most number of Ayushman cards to beneficiaries in their state.
With a total of 2.03 crore beneficiaries having received Ayushman cards, Chhattisgarh is in third place in the country. At the national level, approximately 25 crore Ayushman cards have been issued, in five years of the scheme.
At the Ayushman Samvad event, Union Minister of State for Health, Prof. SP Singh Baghel said, “Ayushman Bharat has recently completed its 5 years and we have been successful in issuing approximately 25 crore Ayushman cards under the able guidance of the respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji.”
CEO of the State Agency for Comprehensive Health and Integrated Services (SACHIS), Sangeeta Singh informed that now any beneficiary can get an Ayushman card through online services. They can apply for a new card online through the website https://beneficiary.nha.gov.in sitting at their homes.
Families in which members are 60 years of age or older will be eligible for the benefits of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. There are 11.04 lakh such families in Uttar Pradesh, and the National Health Authority (NHA) has now included their data in the list of beneficiaries. The Medical and Health Department has issued instructions to all district magistrates to create Ayushman cards for these families.