On December 26, 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri-Jan Arogya Yojana Social Endeavour for Health & Telemedicine (PM-JAY SEHAT) Health Insurance scheme for covering all the residents of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K).The scheme will operate on insurance mode in convergence with PM-JAY.
Union Ministers Amit Shah, Dr Harsh Vardhan, Dr Jitendra Singh and Lieutenant Governor of J&K, Manoj Sinha were present during the virtual event.
Objective – The scheme will ensure Universal Health Coverage and focus on providing financial risk protection and ensuring quality and affordable essential health services to all individuals and communities.
Gist of PM-JAY SEHAT introduced in J&K:
i.The main aim of PM-JAY SEHAT is to provide free of cost insurance cover to all citizens of J&K.
ii.Financial cover of upto INR 5 Lakhs per family per year on a floater basis to all residents. A family floater policy is a health insurance plan which covers the entire family on the payment of a single annual premium.
iii.All the hospitals (both private & public) enshrined under PM-JAY scheme will provide services under the scheme.
iv.The benefits of the scheme will be portable across India, the scheme covers Oncology, Cardiology, Nephrology and will also cover medical procedures up to 3 days of pre-hospitalisation & 15 days post-hospitalisation expenses such as diagnostics & medicines are also included in the scheme.
v.Around 6 Lakh Families in J&K have benefitted from Ayushman Bharat Scheme and now around 21 Lakh Families are expected to get the same benefit through SEHAT scheme.
vi.The scheme would work in convergence with Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY)
PM-JAY SEHAT:
i.The scheme was launched by the Government of India in 2018 for providing free access to healthcare for 40% of residents in India.
ii.Under the schemes, the Government provides a cover of up to INR 5 Lakh per family per year for secondary & tertiary care hospitalization.
iii.The eligibility criteria is determined from Socio-Economic & Caste Census (SECC) 2011.
iv.There is no restriction on family size, age or gender.
Other Projects:
IIT and IIM in Jammu and Kashmir would be set up. These Institutes will help in providing quality higher education to the students. He said two AIIMS and two cancer institutes are also being built in Jammu and Kashmir. Paramedical students will also get training in these institutes.
Recent Related News:
i.On September 12, 2020, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) Governor, Manoj Sinha announced Universal Health Insurance Coverage Scheme for all residents of the Union Territory at an annual expenditure of Rs 123 Crores.
About Jammu & Kashmir:
Nickname – Switzerland of India
Hydro Projects – Ratle Hydroelectric project (River Chenab), Kiru hydro-electric project (River Chenab), Pakal Dul (Drangdhuran) Hydroelectric Project (River Marusudar)
