Ayushman Bharat Yojana Kolkata: How to Apply & Eligibility

What Is Ayushman Bharat Yojana and How It Works

Ayushman Bharat Yojana, also called Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), is India’s central government health insurance scheme that gives eligible families up to ₹5 lakh in free cashless hospital cover every year.

• The scheme went live on 23 September 2018 and now covers over 55 crore eligible beneficiaries across all 36 States and Union Territories in India. The National Health Authority (NHA) runs and manages the scheme at the national level. Over 44 crore Ayushman Cards have already been issued as of 2026.
• The full ₹5 lakh is shared across every member of your family; a family of two and a family of eight get identical cover. There is no age limit, no gender bar, and no individual spending cap within the annual limit. The cover resets every financial year on 1 April.
• The scheme covers 1,929 medical procedures across 24 specialities. These include oncology, cardiology, neurosurgery, orthopaedics, nephrology, and gastroenterology.
• Every treatment package covers surgeon fees, anaesthesia, ICU charges, diagnostics, medicines, implants, bed charges, and food; plus three days of pre-hospitalisation and 15 days of post-discharge follow-up care.
• Pre-existing conditions are covered from Day 1 with zero waiting period. This is one of the most significant features of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana. If a family member has diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure, or cancer, the hospital costs for these conditions are covered the moment the card is active.

West Bengal is the newest state to join the scheme, effective July 2026. For years, West Bengal ran its own Swasthya Sathi scheme and stayed outside the PM-JAY framework. After the state government signed an MoU with NHA on 8 June 2026, the scheme became active across all West Bengal districts on 1 July 2026. This makes West Bengal the 36th and final State/UT to come on board. Approximately 1.43 crore families in the state now stand to benefit [1].

If you hold a Swasthya Sathi card, note that it does not automatically make you PM-JAY eligible; you must check your status separately at beneficiary.nha.gov.in.

Here’s a tabular representation for an easier overview of the Ayushman Bharat Scheme and Card (PMJAY):

Ayushman Bharat Yojana Eligibility for Kolkata

Your Ayushman Bharat Yojana eligibility in Kolkata depends on specific socio-economic criteria set by the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011, not your current income alone.

• Rural households qualify under six deprivation criteria. Your family is eligible if it lives in a one-room kutcha house, belongs to an SC/ST household, has no adult male member aged 16–59, or depends on landless manual labour for income.
• Urban workers in Kolkata get direct eligibility by occupation. If you work as a construction worker, domestic helper, street vendor, sanitation worker, rickshaw puller, or repair mechanic, your family qualifies under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana scheme.
• Senior citizens aged 70 and above are automatically eligible. No income proof or SECC listing is necessary; only an Ayushman Bharat health card is issued after Aadhaar-based enrolment under the Ayushman Vay Vandana scheme.
• There is no cap on family size for any eligible household. Every member of your family- children, parents, grandparents- gets cover under the same ₹5 lakh annual limit on the Ayushman Bharat portal.
• A Swasthya Sathi card does not confirm PM-JAY eligibility. Check your status separately at the official Ayushman Bharat portal, as the two schemes run on entirely different databases.

How to Apply for an Ayushman Bharat Health Card Online

You can get your Ayushman Bharat health card entirely online in minutes; all you need is your Aadhaar number and a mobile number linked to it.

Step 1: Visit the Official Beneficiary Portal

Go to beneficiary.nha.gov.in on your phone or computer. You can also visit pmjay.gov.in and click the “Am I Eligible?” tab; it redirects you to the same portal.

Step 2: Log In With Your Mobile Number

Enter your Aadhaar-linked mobile number and the captcha code. You receive an OTP on your phone. Enter it to log in as a beneficiary.

Step 3: Select Your State and Scheme

Choose West Bengal as your state and select PMJAY as the sub-scheme. Then select your district from the dropdown before you proceed to the search step.

Step 4: Search for Your Family Details

Search using your Aadhaar number, ration card number, PMJAY ID, or name. Your family members appear on screen with their individual card status shown clearly.

Step 5: Click “Do e-KYC” Against Your Name

If your card status shows “Not Generated”, click the “Do e-KYC” button next to your name. Select Aadhaar OTP as your authentication method and click Verify.

Step 6: Complete Aadhaar OTP Verification

Tick the consent checkbox and click Allow. Enter the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile number. The system checks your details and confirms your e-KYC instantly if the matching score is high.

Step 7: Download Your Ayushman Bharat Health Card

After successful verification, click “Download Card”. Authenticate once more with your Aadhaar OTP and save the PDF to your device. Your Ayushman Bharat health card is ready for use.

Prefer offline? Here is what you do instead:

Visit your nearest Common Service Centre (CSC) in Kolkata with your Aadhaar card and ration card. The CSC operator checks your eligibility, completes e-KYC on your behalf, and prints your card on the spot.

Important: No private agent should charge you money to apply for the Ayushman Bharat Yojana. If anyone demands a fee beyond the ₹30 printing charge, call the helpline immediately at 14555.

Ayushman Bharat Yojana Benefits and What It Covers

The Ayushman Bharat Yojana benefits go well beyond basic hospitalisation; your family gets full cashless cover across surgeries, diagnostics, medicines, and specialist care under a single free health card.

₹5 Lakh Annual Cover With Zero Premium

Every eligible family gets ₹5 lakh per year at no cost whatsoever. You pay no premium, no co-payment, and no hidden charges at any Ayushman health care empanelled hospital across India.

All Pre-Existing Diseases Covered From Day One

Unlike private insurance, the Ayushman Bharat health card covers diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure, and cancer from the very first day. There is absolutely no waiting period for any pre-existing condition.

1,929 Medical Procedures Across 24 Specialities

Your cover includes oncology, cardiology, neurosurgery, orthopaedics, and nephrology. Every package covers surgeon fees, ICU charges, diagnostics, medicines, implants, and bed charges, all billed directly to the government through the Ayushman Bharat portal.

Pre and Post-Hospitalisation Expenses Included

Your Ayushman Bharat Yojana cover includes expenses three days before admission and 15 days after discharge. Transport costs to the hospital also form part of the approved treatment package for Ayushman Bharat Yojana eligibility holders.

Senior Citizens Get an Additional ₹5 Lakh Top-Up

Every member aged 70 and above receives a separate ₹5 lakh cover under the Ayushman Vay Vandana scheme. A household already under PM-JAY gets a combined total cover of ₹10 lakh for its senior members.

Empanelled Hospitals in Kolkata Under PM-JAY

Kolkata has a strong network of government and private hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, so you can access fully cashless treatment close to home without paying a single rupee out of pocket.

Here are the top PM-JAY empanelled hospitals in Kolkata where your Ayushman Bharat health card is valid:

How to find the full hospital list: Visit hospitals.pmjay.gov.in → click Find Hospital → select West Bengal → select Kolkata as your district → filter by speciality. The list updates regularly as more hospitals join the PM-JAY network across Kolkata.

Before you visit: Call the hospital directly to confirm they are actively accepting PM-JAY patients for your specific condition. Empanelment status can change during audits. Call the Ayushman Bharat portal helpline at 14555 for real-time guidance.