Thanking PM Modi for supporting the rollout, Adhikari said people of West Bengal had been deprived of several Central schemes for years
Kolkata
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for supporting the rollout of the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana in the state, saying the new double-engine government is committed to ensuring that central welfare schemes reach every citizen without obstruction.
In a post on social media platform X, Adhikari expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Modi and said that the people of West Bengal had been deprived of several central welfare schemes for years. He stated that the new government would work to ensure effective implementation of Ayushman Bharat and other central initiatives at the grassroots level.
The chief minister said the state had returned to a path of development and cooperation with the central government under the double-engine administration, a term often used by the Bharatiya Janata Party to describe governments led by the same political alliance at both the state and national levels.
Prime Minister Modi also welcomed the launch of the healthcare scheme in West Bengal and described it as a major step toward improving access to affordable and quality medical treatment for residents of the state. In his statement, Modi said the welfare of the people of West Bengal remained his top priority and added that the implementation of Ayushman Bharat would provide citizens access to one of the world’s largest healthcare programmes.
The Prime Minister further stated that the new state government would ensure the smooth delivery of key central schemes aimed at improving public welfare and social development.
The Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana is implemented by the National Health Authority under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The scheme provides annual health insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family for secondary and tertiary healthcare services.
Launched in September 2018, the programme is designed to support economically weaker and vulnerable families by offering cashless hospitalization at empanelled public and private hospitals across the country.
Healthcare experts believe the inclusion of West Bengal in the scheme could significantly improve access to medical treatment for millions of residents, especially low-income families who often struggle with rising healthcare costs.
The implementation of Ayushman Bharat in West Bengal is also expected to strengthen coordination between the state and central governments in areas such as healthcare infrastructure, hospital services, and public health management.