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West Bengal enrols 4.2 crore under Ayushman Bharat since August, states told at Kolkata review

The two-day National Health Authority meeting reviewed the health-insurance scheme and the digital health mission.

By BDT News Desk

Published 7 Nov 2026, 7:56 AM IST · 1 min read

Union Health Ministry Reviews Progress of AB PM-JAY and ABDM with States and UTs; Charts Roadmap for Strengthening Implementation
Union Health Ministry Reviews Progress of AB PM-JAY and ABDM with States and UTs; Charts Roadmap for Strengthening Implementation Photo: PIB

West Bengal has enrolled 4.2 crore beneficiaries in Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY since it joined the scheme on 16 August 2026, the state's health department told a national review meeting in Kolkata.

The National Health Authority (NHA) held the two-day meeting on 5 and 6 November 2026 to review AB PM-JAY, the government health-insurance scheme, and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) with officials from states and Union Territories.

West Bengal's numbers

West Bengal joined as the 36th State. Principal Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam said 2.2 lakh people have received treatment under the scheme since launch. NHA chief executive Dr Sunil Kumar Barnwal said more than four crore Ayushman Cards had been generated in a short time.

What was discussed

The meeting looked at expanding coverage, strengthening care delivery, financial protection and digital health adoption, with an emphasis on technology, data analytics, automation and artificial intelligence. Barnwal said the focus should move from financing treatment to better health outcomes: "Every rupee spent on healthcare must lead to better care for our people."

West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Aggarwal said strong primary healthcare is needed alongside financial protection, so that families are not pushed into poverty and hospitals are less burdened.

A key theme was making sure all eligible beneficiaries are covered and informed of their benefits, and linking the two programmes so patients get seamless care.

Photos

Photo: PIB

Photo: PIB

Photo: PIB

Source: official release by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, issued through the Press Information Bureau, Government of India (06 NOV 2026 4:34PM by PIB Delhi). Read the full official text: Union Health Ministry Reviews Progress of AB PM-JAY and ABDM with States and UTs; Charts Roadmap for Strengthening Implementation.

How we verified this

Verified

Every fact, figure and quotation is taken from the official PIB release (Release ID 2333617) issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on 06 NOV 2026 4:34PM by PIB Delhi; checked against the source on publication. Story written by BDT from that release; no outside facts added.

Fact-checked by Hemant Sharma on 7 Nov 2026, 7:56 AM IST.

Sources

  1. 1.Union Health Ministry Reviews Progress of AB PM-JAY and ABDM with States and UTs; Charts Roadmap for Strengthening Implementation — Press Information Bureau, Government of India

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