Archive · 16 Aug 2026
West Bengal launches Ayushman Bharat scheme for 1.5 crore families
A new health insurance program has started in West Bengal, a big state in India.
It is called Ayushman Bharat.
The program helps families pay for hospital visits and medicines.
Many families, about 15 million, can get free health cards.
That means about 60 million people can get this help.
If you are older than 70 years, you get the card automatically.
The card is free, so nobody has to pay for it.
Nearly 2,000 hospitals in the state are part of the program.
The Indian government and the state government are sharing the money for it.
This way, if someone gets sick, they don't have to worry about paying huge hospital bills.
West Bengal launched the Centre's Ayushman Bharat scheme on 16 August, marked as 'Ayushman Diwas' with a programme at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata.
The scheme aims to cover 1.5 crore families (about 6 crore people), with 3.4 crore residents already covered.
A total of 1,930 hospitals — 1,303 private and 627 government — are empanelled under the scheme in the state.
The Centre has allocated around ₹1,000 crore (60% of funding) for the scheme; West Bengal will bear the remaining 40%.
Benefits include up to ₹5 lakh annual coverage per family, free health cards, and automatic coverage for everyone above 70.
- Who
- West Bengal's health minister Sharadwat Mukherjee, while Chief Minister Suvendhu Adhikari and Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel were expected to attend the launch programme.
- What
- The launch of the Centre's Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme in West Bengal, including free health cards and coverage for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation.
- When
- 16 August, observed as 'Ayushman Diwas', with the launch programme held at 3 pm.
- Where
- West Bengal; the 'Ayushman Diwas' programme took place at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata.
- Why
- To bring West Bengal's residents under the same health-security framework as the rest of the country, with cashless coverage extended to ineligible residents through Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana.
- Scheme
- Ayushman Bharat (Central health insurance scheme)
- Launch date
- 16 August ('Ayushman Diwas')
- Coverage target
- 1.5 crore families, about 6 crore people
- Already covered
- Around 3.4 crore people in West Bengal
- Empanelled hospitals in West Bengal
- 1,930 (1,303 private, 627 government)
- Annual coverage per family
- Up to ₹5 lakh for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation
- Funding
- Centre allocated ~₹1,000 crore (60%); state bears 40%
- Hospitals outside state
- More than 40,000 empanelled hospitals across India