The Punjab Government will roll out its universal health insurance scheme on Tuesday, offering cashless treatment worth Rs 10 lakh per family.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann announced that registrations under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna, designed to provide comprehensive healthcare to all citizens, will begin in Barnala and Tarn Taran districts from September 23.
Speaking to reporters, Mann explained that the registration drive will first run as a pilot project lasting 10 to 12 days. Around 128 camps will be set up in each district, and based on public feedback, improvements will be made before the scheme expands across Punjab. “This is a historic and first-of-its-kind initiative for the welfare of the people. Everyone in these districts will be able to apply for the Chief Minister’s Health Card, and the camps will ensure no one has to travel far from home to register,” he said.
Public announcements will be made in advance so residents know where and when to attend the camps. Mann clarified that applicants only need to carry an Aadhaar card, Voter ID, and one passport-size photograph. Once statewide registration is complete, the scheme will officially be launched.
Under this programme, every family in Punjab will receive health insurance worth Rs 10 lakh with no restriction on the number of members covered. “Every Punjabi will be able to avail free, cashless treatment with the Chief Minister’s Health Card in both government and empanelled private hospitals,” Mann stated. Government employees, ASHA workers, and Anganwadi workers will also be included.
The coverage will extend to more than 2,000 medical procedures and surgeries, making Punjab the first state in India to provide health protection of up to Rs 10 lakh. Mann expressed confidence that this initiative will serve as a model for universal healthcare across the nation. “Just like free electricity, this promise of affordable and quality healthcare is now being fulfilled,” he said.
Highlighting other achievements in the health sector, the Chief Minister said that 881 Aam Aadmi Clinics have been set up in the past three years, with the figure soon crossing 1,000. He noted that the availability of medicines in government hospitals has improved drastically from 30 percent to almost 100 percent, and the number of people using primary government health services has jumped from 34 lakh to 1.08 crore.
Turning to national issues, Mann criticized the Union Government, saying it frequently backtracks on its policies. Citing the GST rollback, he remarked, “GST was introduced with great fanfare but has now been rolled back with the same speed. If it was truly beneficial, why take it back?” He demanded that the Centre first release the states’ pending GST share before introducing further measures.
He also urged BJP leaders not to politicize the flood situation in Punjab and took aim at state BJP chief Sunil Jakhar, saying his statements appeared dictated by party high command.
On another note, Mann revealed that a new medical college will be established in Sangrur. He criticized the SGPC for refusing land for the project, alleging that the body acted under the influence of the Badal family. “If the Badals had wanted the college, SGPC would have certainly given the land,” he said.
Reaffirming his government’s stand on ration cards, Mann declared, “No ration card in Punjab will be deleted.” The state has requested six months from the Centre to verify the cards in light of the recent floods. He called the current criteria for deletion, such as owning a vehicle or holding a small piece of land, “unreasonable,” arguing that entire families should not be penalized because of one member’s status.
