Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda inaugurates Arogya Manthan

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers, J.P. Nadda, today inaugurated Aarogya Manthan 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, marking eight years of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) and five y ears of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). Organised by the National Health Authority (NHA), the event brought together senior government officials, healthcare providers, insurers, technology and digital health experts, academia, development partners and other stakeholders to deliberate on the progress of India’s health assurance and digital health ecosystem and the priorities for its next phase.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Nadda, congratulated all stakeholders on the completion of eight years of AB PM-JAY and five years of ABDM. He said that these milestones provide an opportunity to take stock of the progress made and renew the commitment towards the welfare of the poor and marginalised sections of society, in line with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas.”

Dr. M. Srinivas, Member (Health), Niti Ayoga, congratulated the National Health Authority (NHA) on the occasion. Highlighting the transformation brought about by AB PM-JAY, he said that the scheme has enabled people, particularly from economically weaker sections, to access healthcare with greater confidence and reduced financial burden.

Ajay Seth, Chairman, IRDAI, highlighted the success of Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY and said that the experience gained through the scheme provides an opportunity to further strengthen the health insurance ecosystem in the country.

Speaking at the Occasion, Dr. Rajiv Bahl, DG ICMR & Secretary DHR, highlighted the significance of the eight-year milestone of Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY and five years of ABDM, noting that Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY has emerged as the world’s largest health assurance scheme, covering and benefiting more than 60 crore citizens.

Sunil Kumar Barnwal, CEO, NHA, congratulated all stakeholders on achieving two significant milestones — eight years of Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY and five years of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

Under ABDM, Bihar, Ladakh and Dadra and Nagar Haveli were recognised as top-performing States/UTs across model districts based on district population categories. Chandigarh, Assam and Uttar Pradesh were recognised for the highest number of sub-centres using ABDM-enabled Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) in the small State/UT, medium State/UT and large State categories, respectively. (UPDATED ON 25TH SEPT 2026)