New Delhi. PM Narendra Modi had promised during the Lok Sabha elections that if his government is formed again, then he will arrange free treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh every year under Ayushman Bharat for the elderly aged 70 years and above. Modi kept his promise and last week itself started free treatment facility for the elderly under Ayushman Bharat. The news of Indian Express newspaper is that within a week more than 2 lakh elderly people have registered under Ayushman Bharat scheme. Among these, the largest number are elderly people from Kerala. In Kerala, cards have been issued to 89800 elderly people for free treatment facility under Ayushman Bharat.
Till now Ayushman cards have been issued to 2 lakh 16 thousand elderly people. 53000 elderly people in Madhya Pradesh and 47000 in UP have registered for Ayushman Bharat. There are about 6 crore elderly people in the country. Of these, except the elders of West Bengal and Delhi, the elders of the rest of the country will get the benefit of Ayushman Bharat. West Bengal and Delhi have run separate free medical schemes for the elderly. In such a situation, Ayushman Bharat scheme is not applicable there. Elderly people from poor families who already have Ayushman Bharat cards will have to apply again and do eKYC. Every year a top up of Rs 5 lakh will be given. If there is more than one elderly person in the family, then everyone will get the benefit of free treatment under different Ayushman Bharat schemes.
PM Modi launched Ayushman Bharat scheme in the year 2018. Poor families of the country faced financial problems in getting treatment in big hospitals. In view of this, PM Modi had included them in the scheme of free treatment every year. The central government provides most of the money for the Ayushman Bharat scheme. State governments also have a stake in this. While releasing Ayushman Bharat scheme for the elderly, Modi government has decided that no matter what their income is, they will get the facility of free treatment.