India / Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries cross 1 cr, PM speaks with 1 croreth beneficiary

New Delhi: The number of people who have benefitted under the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat Scheme has crossed the one crore-mark, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday.

“It would make every Indian proud that the number of Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries has crossed 1 crore,” he wrote in a series of tweets, adding that the initiative “has had a positive impact on so many lives.”

It would make every Indian proud that the number of Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries has crossed 1 crore. In less than two years, this initiative has had a positive impact on so many lives. I congratulate all the beneficiaries and their families. I also pray for their good health.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 20, 2020

The PM spoke about his interaction with the “1 croreth beneficiary” of the health insurance scheme – Pooja Thapa from Meghalaya who is the wife of an army personnel - in a telephonic interview.

The prime minister also spoke about the benefits of the scheme and lauded the healthcare workers associated with it .

He said that one of the biggest benefits of the scheme is “portability” as the beneficiaries “can get top quality and affordable medical care not only where they are registered but also in other parts of India.”

He appreciated the efforts of doctors, nurses among others in ensuring the scheme helps the ‘poor and downtrodden’.

Prime Minister Modi had launched the Centre’s flagship health insurance programme Ayushman Bharat Scheme on September 23 in Ranchi that aims to provide Rs 5 lakh hospitalisation cover to up to 107.4 million poor and vulnerable families.