Sankalp For Seva: JP Nadda Marks Ayushman Bharat PM JAY At 8-Year Milestone

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda on Wednesday marked eight years of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), describing the programme as a major expansion of health assurance coverage in India. Nadda, who served as BJP national president before Nitin Nabin took over the post earlier in 2026, highlighted the scheme’s reach in a social media post.

The 8 years PM JAY milestone falls on September 23, the date the Union government launched PM-JAY in 2018. The programme provides cashless hospitalisation cover of up to ₹5 lakh per family each year for eligible beneficiaries.

JP Nadda Health Scheme Message Focuses On Coverage

Nadda said the initiative had grown from its original launch into a programme covering more than 60 crore people. He also cited more than 48.5 crore Ayushman cards and more than 13 crore beneficiaries who have received treatment under the scheme.

The figures released by the government provide further context. A recent PIB background note said that, as of September 21, about 48.51 crore people held Ayushman cards. It also reported that PM-JAY had funded around 13.25 crore hospital admissions worth ₹2.03 lakh crore as of August 31.

The distinction between people covered by the scheme and cards issued is relevant when assessing the latest JP Nadda health scheme figures, as the two numbers measure different aspects of the programme.

Ayushman Bharat PM JAY Now Covers All States And UTs

PM-JAY has also expanded geographically since its 2018 launch. The Union Health Ministry said in July that the scheme had become operational across all 36 States and Union Territories.

The programme provides secondary and tertiary hospitalisation coverage through a network of public and private hospitals. Its portability feature allows eligible beneficiaries to use the scheme outside their home state when treatment is required elsewhere.

The scheme is part of the broader Ayushman Bharat framework, alongside Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission. Recent health-sector developments have also included changes in medical education and examination administration through the Union Health Ministry.

8 Years PM JAY Milestone Comes With Expanded Reach

The eighth anniversary comes after several changes to the programme’s beneficiary base and delivery system. Coverage was extended to all citizens aged 70 years and above under the expanded Ayushman Bharat framework, while the government has continued increasing the number of participating hospitals.

The government says PM-JAY has reduced financial barriers to hospital treatment by providing cashless coverage and limiting the need for eligible families to pay large amounts directly at the point of care.

For the 8 years PM JAY anniversary, Nadda framed the development as part of what he called “Sankalp for Seva”, referring to the government’s stated objective of widening healthcare access.

The anniversary also follows broader government activity involving healthcare policy. Healthcare was among the subjects discussed during Narendra Modi’s Uzbekistan visit in August, alongside energy, defence, trade, pharmaceuticals and digital connectivity.

Government Figures Put Treatment Spending At ₹2 Lakh Crore+

The latest official figures show that PM-JAY’s financial scale has expanded substantially over eight years. The government says treatment authorised under the scheme had crossed ₹2.03 lakh crore by the end of August.

The JP Nadda health scheme anniversary message therefore comes as the programme enters its ninth year with a much larger beneficiary and hospital network than at launch.

The government has continued presenting Ayushman Bharat PM JAY as a central component of its broader universal health coverage strategy.