Independence Day 2018: PM Modi announces Ayushman Bharat scheme, to be launched on September 25

Independence Day 2018: The ambitious Ayushman Bharat or National Health Protection Scheme aims to cover over 10 crore vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) and provide health cover up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year.

By: Express Web Desk

Updated: August 15, 2018 08:37 AM IST

2 min read

This is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s fifth and final Independence Day 2018 speech from the ramparts of Red Fort during his current tenure.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his flagship project, Ayushman Bharat or National Health Protection Scheme on Independence Day while addressing the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort.

Prime Minister Modi said the Ayushman Bharat scheme will help ten crore families or 50 crore Indians. “The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan (Ayushman Bharat Scheme) will be launched on 25th September (Deendayal Upadhyaya’s birth anniversary) this year. It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get access to good quality and affordable healthcare.” LIVE Updates: PM Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech at Red Fort

Dubbed by ministers and BJP leaders as ‘Modicare’, the policy was initially announced by the then finance minister Arun Jaitley in February this year during the presentation of last full budget of the NDA government.

During his address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke about the success of the recently concluded monsoon session of Parliament ‘The session was one devoted to social justice. The Parliament session witnessed the passage of the bill to create an OBC Commission. Dalits, women and other weak sections of the society have been empowered,’ he said.

This is Modi’s fifth and final address in the current tenure on the occasion of Independence Day. Earlier, he hoisted the Tricolour and inspected the Guard of Honour at Red Fort.

What is Ayushman Bharat or National Health Protection Scheme?

The ambitious Ayushman Bharat or National Health Protection Scheme aims to cover over 10 crore vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) and provide health cover up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year. The programme is being touted as the world’s largest health protection scheme. Read more about it here

The scheme will aim to target over 10 crore families based on SECC (Socio-Economic Caste Census) database.

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