Bhubaneswar, Sept 24: Odisha is on track to join the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), with discussions between the state and the Central government reaching an "advanced stage."

Although the Central government launched the scheme in 2018, Odisha, along with New Delhi and West Bengal, initially opted out. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had pledged in its manifesto for the 2024 Odisha Assembly elections that it would implement AB PM-JAY if elected to power. The party promised to roll out the scheme within 100 days, covering state residents with an annual income below Rs 8 lakh.

Previously, the Biju Janata Dal government in Odisha declined participation in the scheme, stating that its own health program, the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), offered better benefits.

Now, discussions between the Odisha government and the National Health Authority (NHA) have progressed significantly, and an agreement is expected soon, which would enable the scheme's implementation in the state within weeks, according to a Central government official.

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