Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda has categorically said that the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) is an “entitlement based scheme” and “absolutely free for beneficiaries”. Nadda also allayed apprehensions that beneficiaries need to pay an amount to register to avail the benefits of the scheme. “Please be very clear that #AyushmanBharat – PMJAY is a entitlement based scheme. It is absolutely free for beneficiaries. You need not to register anywhere,” Nadda posted on Twitter.

Nadda’s caution on Twitter came in response to a post going around asking people to pay up Rs 1, 324 and register in order to avail the benefits of the scheme. The minister, however, made it abundantly clear that people do not need to register anywhere or make any payment in order to avail PMJAY benefits.

Hailed by the Centre as the largest healthcare scheme provided by the government and it will be launched on September 23 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The scheme aims to provide medical cover of up to Rs 5 lakh to over 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families, constituting 40 per cent of India’s total population. However, not everyone can avail of the benefits that the scheme offers. The government has laid down certain eligibility criteria for beneficiaries

Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) eligibility –

The names of beneficiaries have to be included in the rural database of the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011. The households, which will receive the benefits, must not have a shelter. Those living on alms and families of manual scavengers qualify for this scheme. Primitive tribal groups and legally released bonded labour can also avail the benefits. Households with one or less room, kuccha walls, kuccha roof, no adult member in household between age 18 and 59, female-headed household with no adult male between 16 and 59, household with differently-abled member and no other able-bodied adult, household with no literate adult above age of 25 years, landless households deriving major part of income from manual labour and SC/ST are also elgible to seek benefits under the PMJAY.

There are some households which won’t be able to avail the benefits. These include households that have motorised two/three/four wheeler or fishing boat, mechanised 3-4 wheeler agriculture equipment, Kisan credit card with credit limit of over Rs 50, 000, a member with government employment, non-agricultural enterprises registered with government, income more than Rs 10, 000 per month, Income tax, professional tax commitments, 3 or more rooms with pucca walls and roof, households that have refrigerator, landline, and households with more than 2.5 acres of irrigated land with one irrigation equipment.