NEW DELHI: Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood announced that since the launch of Ayushman Bharat in the capital earlier this year, 2,42,732 health cards have been issued, enabling eligible residents to receive cash‑less treatment at empanelled hospitals.
On Sunday, Sood distributed Ayushman cards to 10 senior citizens in his Janakpuri constituency under the Delhi government’s insurance‑cum‑pension initiative, the Vay Vandana Yojana.
“We promised during the election campaign that senior citizens in Janakpuri would be the first to receive Ayushman cards and today we have fulfilled that promise,” Sood told an event organised to honour him on his elevation to senior minister. Five Janakpuri residents were also among the first beneficiaries when card distribution began city‑wide.
Describing the Ayushman card as “small, portable—like a licence,” he said it guarantees timely care during medical emergencies without financial strain. Each recipient is given a list of hospitals where the card is accepted; currently, 48 hospitals in Delhi are empanelled. “Any eligible person requiring surgery or treatment can obtain medical care worth up to Rs 10 lakh free of cost,” he added.
On 5 April, the Delhi government signed a memorandum of understanding with the Centre to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB‑PMJAY), making Delhi the 35th state or Union Territory to join. Under AB‑PMJAY, qualifying families receive annual coverage of up to Rs 10 lakh—Rs 5 lakh provided by the Centre and an additional Rs 5 lakh by the Delhi government.