Hassan, Mandya Top Gainers under AB-PMJAY in Karnataka

Under the revised national criteria announced in January 2022, Karnataka has nearly 2 crore citizens deemed eligible, as the coverage base was expanded targeting the bottom 40% of the population.

AB-PMJAY logo used for representational purposes only.

MANGALURU: Hassan, Mandya and Belagavi have emerged as top gainers in healthcare delivery under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in Karnataka.

Hassan has recorded 10,65,825 hospital admissions since the scheme's inception in 2018. The district's performance accelerated rapidly in recent years, with 3.65 lakh admissions in 2024-25 alone, making it the single highest contributor to AB-PMJAY in Karnataka.

Close behind is Mandya, with 9,86,883 cumulative admissions, including an impressive 3.07 lakh in 2023-24 and 2.98 lakh in 2024-25, solidifying its place among the top beneficiaries.

Belagavi, with 6,34,513 admissions, has shown steady year-on-year growth, expanding from just over 6,000 admissions in 2018-19 to more than 2.06 lakh in the latest year. Mysuru, a consistent performer, has logged 6,13,065 total admissions, supported by robust infrastructure and awareness, while Tumakuru rounds out the top five with 5,07,315 admissions, reflecting strong gains especially after 2022.

These five districts together account for more than 38 lakh hospitalisations, demonstrating the effectiveness of decentralised implementation, improved public awareness, and increased hospital empanelment across the state.

Under the revised national criteria announced in January 2022 for AB-PMJAY, Karnataka has nearly 2 crore citizens deemed eligible, as the coverage base was expanded targeting the bottom 40% of the population. Belagavi (17 lakh), Mysuru (9.56 lakh) and Tumakuru (7.6 lakh) are among the top districts in terms of overall eligible beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, under the Ayushman Vay Vandana scheme, launched in October 2024, as many as 1,76,309 senior citizens aged 70 and above have received health entitlement cards offering Rs 5 lakh in annual treatment coverage, irrespective of socio-economic status. Bengaluru Urban leads this initiative with 73,282 Vay Vandana cards issued, followed by Udupi (16,253), Mysuru (14,327) and Dakshina Kannada (14,332).

However, districts such as Yadgir (138) and Vijayanagar (796) show much lower enrolment, highlighting regional disparities that may need targeted outreach.

The scheme currently operates under the Health Benefit Package 2022, which includes 1,961 procedures across 27 medical specialties, such as cardiology, oncology, general medicine, and orthopaedics. The government has assured ongoing updates, with new hospitals and procedures being added regularly based on state-level needs.