BJP manifesto promises extending PMJAY to transgenders, senior citizens

In an expansion of its health coverage initiative, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has pledged to extend the Ayushman Bharat scheme to include all senior citizens over 70 years of age and the transgender community, as part of its manifesto for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

During the launch of the manifesto, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the party’s commitment to broadening the scope of the flagship health program. “The BJP is determined to encompass every senior citizen above 70 years of age under the Ayushman Bharat scheme,” he stated.

Launched by former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the FY19 Union Budget, Ayushman Bharat provides a health insurance cover of up to Rs 5 lakh and currently benefits approximately 80 crore people across the nation. This move marks a strategic expansion of the program to cover additional vulnerable groups in the country.

In its latest manifesto, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has outlined a series of ambitious health-related commitments, including expanding existing health programs and launching new initiatives to enhance the well-being of Indian citizens.

A key promise from the BJP is the expansion of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, aimed specifically at ensuring that senior citizens receive access to free and high-quality healthcare. This expansion plan also includes significant support for the transgender community, with a proposal to extend the coverage of Ayushman Bharat to include all eligible transgender individuals. Additionally, the party intends to improve the network of Garima Grahas, facilities dedicated to the needs of transgender people, and issue identity cards to ensure their recognition nationwide.

Reflecting on the past decade, the BJP in its manifesto highlighted several achievements in healthcare improvements. These include the development and dissemination of vaccines to combat the pandemic, the promotion of traditional medicine through the establishment of the Ministry of AYUSH, and the creation of new medical colleges to boost the number of qualified doctors. The party also noted the pivotal role of technology in enhancing healthcare delivery across the country.

Further strengthening of healthcare infrastructure is also on the agenda, with plans to upgrade both primary and secondary healthcare facilities under the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM). The BJP aims to broaden PM-ABHIM to provide a more robust healthcare system throughout India.

Additionally, the manifesto promises to enhance the Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and to upgrade district hospitals and other secondary healthcare centres. This includes expanding the full functionality of all packages for comprehensive healthcare, and ensuring that medical facilities are equipped to provide a wide range of services and treatments. CNBCTV18