In a move that will benefit 4.5 crore families, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved health coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above irrespective of income under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi also approved Rs 10,900 crore for two years to boost adoption of electric vehicles and Rs 12,461 crore outlay to support the development of 31,350 MW hydropower projects to be implemented over the next eight years.
Briefing media, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the increased health coverage aims to benefit approximately 4.5 Crore families with six (6) crore senior citizens with 5 Lakh rupees free health insurance cover on a family basis. “With this approval, all senior citizens of the age 70 years and above irrespective of their socio- economic status would be eligible to avail the benefits of AB PM-JAY. The eligible senior citizens would be issued a new distinct card under AB PM-JAY.
“The senior citizens of the age 70 years and above belonging to families already covered under AB PM-JAY will get an additional top-up cover upto Rs. 5 lakh per year for themselves. All other senior citizens of the age 70 years and above will get a cover upto Rs. 5 lakh per year on a family basis,” said Vaishnaw detailing the scheme.
Senior citizens of the age 70 years and above who are already availing benefits of other public health insurance schemes such as Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), Ayushman Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) may either choose their existing scheme or opt for AB PMJAY. It has been clarified that senior citizens of 70 years and above who are under private health insurance policies or Employees’ State Insurance scheme will be eligible to avail benefits under AB PM-JAY.
The Cabinet approved the PM E-Drive Scheme with an outlay of Rs 10,900 crore for two years to boost adoption of electric vehicles in India, replacing the flagship FAME programme that ran for nine years till March. The scheme will support 24.79 lakh electric two-wheelers, 3.16 lakh e-three wheelers, and 14,028 e-buses. The PM E-DRIVE will also support 88,500 charging sites, Vaishnaw said.
The new scheme offers subsidies/demand incentives worth Rs 3,679 crore to incentivise adoption of electric two-wheelers, electric three-wheelers, e-ambulances, e-trucks and other emerging elecric vehicles (EVs). A sum of Rs 4,391 crore has also been provided for procurement of 14,028 e-buses by state transport undertakings and public transport agencies.
Besides, Rs 500 crore has been earmarked for the deployment of e-ambulances. This is a new initiative of the government to promote the use of e-ambulance for a comfortable patient transport. A sum of Rs 500 crore has been provided for incentivising adoption of e-trucks. Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid and) Electric Vehicle (FAME) Scheme was launched in April 2015.
The Cabinet also approved Rs. 12,461 crore outlay to support the development of 31,350 MW hydropower projects to be implemented over the next eight years. The statement, the scheme will be implemented from FY2024-25 to FY2031-32. The limit of the budgetary support for the cost of enabling infrastructure has been rationalised to Rs one crore/MW for projects up to 200 MW and Rs 200 crore plus Rs 0.75 crore per MW exceeding 200 MW, for projects above 200 MW.
