Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare addressed questions regarding the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card scheme in Lok Sabha on July 25, 2025. The scheme, an expansion of ABPMJAY, provides free treatment up to 5 lakh per year to senior citizens aged 70 and above, irrespective of socioeconomic status. It is implemented in all ABPMJAY states/UTs except West Bengal.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Ayushman Vay Vandana Card Scheme Details:**
* Launched on October 29, 2024.
* Provides free treatment up to 5 lakh per year.
* Eligibility: All senior citizens aged 70 years and above.
* Implemented in all ABPMJAY implementing States/UTs except West Bengal.
* **Measures to Reach Vulnerable Populations:**
* Comprehensive media and outreach strategy in rural and backward areas.
* Advertisements via newspapers, community radio, street plays, digital displays, radio campaigns, mass messaging, and Doordarshan.
* Engagement of frontline workers (ASHAs, AWWs, VLEs) for grassroots awareness.
* 24x7 call center (14555) for assistance.
* Extensive IEC activities by States.
* **Scope and Healthcare Benefits:**
* Provides cashless services related to 1961 procedures across 27 medical specialties.
* States have flexibility to customize Health Benefit Packages.
* Regular updates include new procedures, hospitals, and beneficiaries.
* **Progress in Madhya Pradesh:**
* District-wise details of Ayushman Vay Vandana cards created are provided in Annexure.
Impact Analysis:
**Senior Citizens (70 years and above):**
* Impact: Access to free treatment up to 5 lakh per year, irrespective of socioeconomic status.
* Action Required: Obtain Ayushman Vay Vandana Card and utilize the provided healthcare services.
**State Health Agencies:**
* Impact: Responsible for implementing and managing the scheme within their respective states/UTs.
* Action Required: Engage in extensive IEC activities to raise awareness, customize health benefit packages to local context, empanel new hospitals, and regularly update the scheme.
**Frontline Workers (ASHAs, AWWs, VLEs):**
* Impact: Pivotal in creating mass awareness at the grassroots level.
* Action Required: Actively promote the scheme and assist eligible individuals in obtaining the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card.
Key Entities Referenced
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana: A health scheme expanded to provide free treatment benefits to senior citizens.
Ayushman Vay Vandana Card: A card provided under the Ayushman Bharat scheme to senior citizens aged 70 years and above, entitling them to free treatment benefits.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The Indian government ministry responsible for health policy.
Madhya Pradesh: A state in India where the progress of the Ayushman Vay Vandana card scheme is reported districtwise.
West Bengal: An Indian state that is an exception in the rollout of ABPMJAY implementation.
Doordarshan: Indian public service broadcaster used for telecasting beneficiary testimonials as part of the outreach strategy.
Health Benefit Package: A package that provides cashless healthcare services related to 1961 procedures across 27 medical specialties.
14555: A 24x7 call center number for Ayushman Vay Vandana Card beneficiaries to call for any assistance or queries.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH ANDFAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 969
TOBE ANSWERED ON25TH JULY,2025
AYUSHMANVAYVANDANACARDS
969. SMT.BIJULI KALITAMEDHI:
SHRIBUNTYVIVEK SAHU:
Will the Ministerof HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleased tostate:
(a) the details of Ayushman Vay Vandana Card Scheme and the States where it has been
implemented;
(b) the measures being put in place to ensure the benefits of Ayushman Vay Vandana Cards reach
the most vulnerable section of the population, particularly in rural, backward and underserved
areas;
(c) whether there are any plans to expand the scope of the programme to include additional
healthcarebenefits or services inthe countryinthe future;
(d) if so, the detailsthereof; and
(e)the detailsof the progress of thisscheme inMadhya Pradesh,district-wise?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATEIN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTHAND
FAMILYWELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAOJADHAV)
(a): On 29.10.2024, the Government of India expanded Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri
Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) to provide free treatment benefits of up to ₹5 lakh per year
to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of their socio-economic status
through Ayushman Vay Vandana cards. The scheme is rolled out in all the AB-PMJAY
implementingStates/UTs exceptWest Bengal.
(b): AB-PMJAY has a comprehensive media and outreach strategy to spread awareness and
empower beneficiaries for their rights and entitlements more prominently in rural and
backward areas. This includes advertisement over traditional media platforms including
newspapers, community radio, street plays, digital displays, radio campaigns, mass
messaging, telecast of beneficiary testimonials via Doordarshan, etc. In addition to this, State
Health Agencies have also engaged the wide network of frontline workers i.e., ASHAs,
AWWsandVLEs(Village levelEntrepreneurs) who are pivotalincreatingmassawareness atthe grassroot level. In additiontothis, the AyushmanVayVandana Card beneficiariescancall
to24x7callcentre (14555) for any assistance/queries.
Further, States also undertake extensive IEC activities to raise the awareness about the
expansion of AB-PMJAYfor all senior citizensof the age 70 yearsandabove.
(c) and (d): In the latest national master of the Health Benefit Package (HBP) the scheme
providescashless healthcare services related to1961 proceduresacross 27 medicalspecialties
including General Medicine, General Surgery, Orthopaedics, Cardiology, Oncology etc.
Further, States have been provided flexibility to further customize the Health Benefit
Packages to local context. Regular updation such as inclusion of new procedures,
empanelment of new hospitals, inclusion of new beneficiaries and other improvements are
done inthe scheme asperrequirements from time totime.
(e): The district-wise details of number of Ayushman Vay Vandana cards created in Madhya
Pradeshare at Annexure.Annexure
District-wise detailsof Ayushman VayVandanacardscreated inMadhya Pradesh
District No. of AyushmanVay Vandana cardscreated
Agar Malwa 13,261
Alirajpur 5,949
Anuppur 15,468
Ashoknagar 14,980
Balaghat 57,787
Barwani 19,493
Betul 42,263
Bhind 22,080
Bhopal 46,989
Burhanpur 14,842
Chhatarpur 48,979
Chhindwara 44,324
Damoh 24,968
Datia 14,023
Dewas 29,959
Dhar 38,274
Dindori 13,669
Guna 20,765
Gwalior 42,202
Harda 12,612
Indore 74,844
Jabalpur 33,079
Jhabua 14,447
Katni 25,105
Khandwa 24,506
Khargone 34,997
Maihar 14,470
Mandla 20,511
Mandsaur 27,379
Mauganj 7,303
Morena 21,897
Narmadapuram 26,591
Narsinghpur 25,068
Neemuch 15,275
Niwari 10,556
Pandhurna 7,610
Panna 15,876
Raisen 27,821
Rajgarh 45,867
Ratlam 24,977
Rewa 32,994
Sagar 56,444
Satna 27,848Sehore 28,710
Seoni 28,081
Shahdol 16,421
Shajapur 19,728
Sheopur 8,320
Shivpuri 21,694
Sidhi 21,013
Singrauli 14,001
Tikamgarh 17,588
Ujjain 70,565
Umaria 11,802
Vidisha 28,625
*****