PM Modi slams Delhi, West Bengal govts for not joining Ayushman Bharat scheme as he announces coverage for seniors above 70

Slamming West Bengal and Delhi governments for not implementing the central government's flagship Ayushman Bharat scheme for political reasons, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Oct 29 apologized to the elderly people of two states for not being able to "serve them," as he announced the extension of the scheme to cover all senior citizens aged 70 years and above.

The scheme hailed by doctors and others will ensure health coverage to 6 crore elderly citizens across India.

He unveiled a series of health sector projects worth around ₹ 12,850 crore at the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) on the occasion of the 9th Ayurveda Day, aiming to expand healthcare services and infrastructure across the country.

"People aged above 70 will get free treatment in hospitals. They will be given the 'Ayushman Vaya Vandana' card," he said at the event.

Modi did not mention if the health coverage for the elderly people will be for a lifetime or up to a certain period of time. He also did not say anything about the medical expenditure incurred by such people.

However, he sought an "apology" from the people of Bengal and Delhi as they had been excluded from the scheme.

"I apologize to all the elderly people above 70 years of age in Delhi and also these people in West Bengal that I will not be able to serve you. I apologize to them that I will know how you are, and I will get the information but I will not be able to help you and the reason is that the Delhi and the West Bengal governments are not joining this Ayushman Yojana," he said.

Key initiatives launched include the expansion of the scheme to all senior citizens aged 70 and above, and the introduction of advanced facilities at AIIMS and ESIC hospitals nationwide.

Modi also inaugurated three new medical colleges in Madhya Pradesh and launched drone-based healthcare delivery at 11 major institutions, enhancing accessibility.

Health coverage for people above 70 years evoked a good response on X from doctors and others.

“This is probably the first time after independence that senior citizens above 70 will directly benefit from a government scheme. A path-breaking decision! Modiji will earn millions of blessings for this,” Dr. Bharat Kanabar wrote on X.

Dr Sudhir Kumar hailed the move. “Excellent move by the Govt of India to provide health coverage for all people aged 70 and above irrespective of income. This will benefit about 6 crore people aged 70 and above.” Kumar said on X.

“However, there is a need to provide coverage to other age categories too. For example, there are about 9 crore people in the age group of 60 to 70 years. Hopefully, they can be included in this scheme before 2029; and hopefully, by 2034, every Indian citizen would be provided health coverage.” he added.

Additionally, Modi unveiled the U-WIN portal for digitalized vaccination records and introduced the “Desh Ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyan” to promote health awareness.

For pregnant women, PM Modi launched the U-WIN portal, designed to fully digitalize the vaccination process for pregnant women and infants. This initiative aims to ensure the timely administration of life-saving vaccines for pregnant women and children up to 16 years, protecting them against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases.

With an aim to raise health awareness, Modi also launched a campaign, “Desh Ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyan.”

During the event, BJP national president JP Nadda praised Modi’s focus on healthcare, calling the day “historic.”

“The health sector overhaul extends to critical care and nursing facilities under PM-ABHIM, which targets healthcare resilience amid climate adaptation strategies tailored for each state,” Nadda said.