Archive · 11 Aug 2026
Ayushman Bharat to Launch in Bengal on August 16
A big health program is coming to a place called Bengal.
It is called Ayushman Bharat.
It helps people who are very old or very poor pay for hospital care.
The program will officially start on August 16.
A very important health leader will come to start it.
Many hospitals have already signed up to help with the program.
The program has printed millions of health cards to give to the people who need them.
Some hospitals were worried about getting paid on time for their work.
The chief minister promised the hospitals they would be paid without delay.
That made the hospitals agree to support the program.
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana will be formally launched in Bengal on August 16, with Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda set to inaugurate it at Netaji Indoor Stadium.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the launch at a Monday meeting with private hospital representatives, saying people aged above 70 and those below the poverty line are eligible.
Around 2,000 private healthcare institutions in Bengal have been empanelled under Ayushman Bharat, while 15-20 large private hospitals are yet to complete the process.
The state will allocate ₹1,600 crore to ₹1,700 crore annually for Ayushman Bharat and around ₹1,200 crore for the Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana, with 3.5 crore cards printed targeting about 6 crore beneficiaries.
Private hospitals raised concerns about reimbursement rates and payment delays, requesting Tier 1 rates, while the government offered Tier 3 city rates and the chief minister guaranteed timely payments.
- Who
- Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda, private hospitals in Bengal, and state health officials
- What
- Formal launch of the central health scheme Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana in Bengal
- When
- August 16, following an announcement made at a Monday meeting with private hospital representatives
- Where
- Netaji Indoor Stadium in Bengal; the announcement meeting was held at Soujanya in Alipore
- Why
- To provide healthcare coverage to people aged above 70 and those below the poverty line, with non-covered citizens supported under the state's Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana
State Government
Private Hospitals
Reimbursement rates
State Government
The state government offered private hospitals the reimbursement rates allocated for Tier 3 city hospitals.
Private Hospitals
Private hospitals requested Tier 1 rates, noting that Delhi and Arunachal Pradesh are categorized in Tier 1.
Payment delays
State Government
The chief minister guaranteed hospitals would receive payments on time with no delay, and a third-party administrator has been appointed to handle reimbursements.
Private Hospitals
Hospitals said they had heard that Ayushman Bharat payments were delayed and reimbursements came only after three to four months.
- Health scheme
- Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana
- Launch date
- August 16
- Launch venue
- Netaji Indoor Stadium
- Eligibility
- People aged above 70 and those below the poverty line
- Empanelled private hospitals
- Around 2,000, with 15-20 large hospitals still completing the process
- Annual allocation (Ayushman Bharat)
- ₹1,600 crore to ₹1,700 crore
- Annual allocation (Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana)
- Around ₹1,200 crore
- Cards printed and target
- 3.5 crore cards printed; target of around 6 crore beneficiaries