Punjab’s ₹10-Lakh Health Cover is GO: Finally Rolling Out in January
The promise has been hanging in the air since July, but the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s flagship health insurance scheme—the Mukh Mantri Sehat Bima Yojana—is finally set for a full rollout in January next year.
The thing is, this scheme is huge. It aims to cover all 3 crore residents of Punjab, regardless of income status. This is the kicker: it provides a ₹10 lakh insurance cover to every single family. That effectively doubles the previous scheme’s coverage, which was ₹5 lakh under the old Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojna.
The Delay: Announce First, Framework Later
Let’s be real, this launch was messy. The scheme was officially “launched” on July 8 by CM Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal, and the cabinet quickly approved it on July 10. They even announced it would commence on October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti) with pilot runs in Tarn Taran and Barnala.
But X happened (they made the announcement in haste). And then Y followed (the whole thing was delayed because they hadn’t even finalized the insurance company yet, or nothing).
-
The Problem: Officials, speaking off the record, admitted the announcement happened before the required framework was put in place.
-
The Fix: It wasn’t until December 3 that they even opened the bids from insurance companies. United India Insurance emerged as the winning bidder for implementation.
Pilot Success and What It Means
Despite the bureaucratic snags, the pilot registrations show massive demand. Health minister Dr. Balbir Singh says things are “almost complete” now.
-
In Barnala, over 18,054 families enrolled.
-
In Tarn Taran, over 28,706 families enrolled.
This scheme isn’t just about doubling the money. The key difference is the coverage:
CM Statement: “Every citizen of Punjab will be entitled to free healthcare, including government employees and pensioners, without any income limit.”
Previously, only “eligible families” could get the benefits. Now, the entire population is covered, and the scheme is slated to cover over 2,000 medical procedures and surgeries at empanelled hospitals.
Getting your card is made easy, too. You can enroll at Sewa Kendras or Common Service Centres (CSCs), or you can even generate your card online using Aadhaar or Voter ID.
This is an ongoing development. The government announced the start date, and now we wait to see if the January rollout holds up.
Recommended Readings:
- AirPods Pro 3 Hit Record Low Price at Best Buy Sale
- 2,400 Price Tag: Why The iPhone Fold Still Wins
- iPhone Fold Lands 2026: Apple Will Grab 34% Market Value
- CM Orders Vagator Shack Razed; Luthra Brothers Hunted in Phuket
- Nothing Phone (3a) Community Edition: The People’s Phone is Real
Disclaimer: This information is based on public announcements by the Punjab government and should be verified with official scheme documents.
