Relief for 5.5 lakh Delhi families as Govt expands free health cover under PM-JAY. Details here

The Delhi government on Tuesday expanded the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) to include widows and persons with disabilities, extending cashless health benefits to nearly 5.5 lakh additional families, PTI reported.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said around 3.97 lakh widows and 1.31 lakh Divyang persons will now receive coverage, along with their families. “This step ensures that no vulnerable citizen is denied medical care due to financial constraints,” she said.

For households living on fixed pensions or disability assistance, the move is a major financial relief, reducing out-of-pocket medical expenses and protecting families from unexpected hospital bills.

Reducing the risk of medical debt

From a personal finance perspective, the expansion could provide critical protection against sudden healthcare expenses. Families dependent on widow pensions or disability assistance typically have limited and fixed monthly incomes, leaving little room to absorb large hospital bills.

Inclusion under PM-JAY’s cashless treatment framework reduces out-of-pocket expenditure, one of the leading causes of household financial distress. By covering hospitalisation costs at empanelled facilities, the scheme can help prevent vulnerable families from resorting to borrowing, selling assets or exhausting savings during medical emergencies.

Existing coverage and infrastructure

“These families will be in addition to those already covered under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Household (PRS) categories, senior citizens above 70 years, ASHA workers, and Anganwadi workers and helpers,” Gupta said, reiterating that no eligible citizen should be deprived of treatment due to financial constraints.

According to official data, 7,23,707 Ayushman cards have been issued in Delhi so far, including 2,74,620 to senior citizens. The capital currently has 208 empanelled hospitals under the scheme, 156 private and 53 government , and more than 29,120 beneficiaries have availed treatment through the State Health Agency.