Recognising the role of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in widening access to affordable healthcare, the Parliamentary Committee on Finance has urged the government to decentralize its implementation. In its report A Roadmap for Indian Economic Growth in Light of Global Economic and Geopolitical Circumstances, the panel suggested leveraging technology through mobile health units and telemedicine centres, especially in remote tribal and hilly areas, to close existing gaps in reach and accessibility.
AB-PMJAY, the Centre’s flagship health insurance programme, provides coverage of ₹5 lakh per family annually for secondary and tertiary care, targeting around 55 crore beneficiaries or 12.37 crore families that represent the bottom 40% of India’s population. As per the PMJAY dashboard, over 41.97 crore Ayushman cards have been issued across 27 states and eight Union Territories.
The committee also highlighted progress made under the National Health Mission (NHM), including the establishment of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, expansion of ambulance services, and the Universal Immunisation Programme. Currently, more than 1.78 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs health and wellness centres are functional nationwide (as of August 2025).
To strengthen the health employment linkage, the panel further recommended scaling up health education in schools and colleges, with a focus on nutrition, physical fitness, and mental well-being through national initiatives like Fit India and Eat Right.
