MoU inked, Bengal finally comes under Ayushman Bharat ambit

4 min readNew DelhiJun 9, 2026 05:30 AM IST

Union Health Minister J P Nadda and West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari in New Delhi on Monday. (Express photo by Praveen Khanna)

As West Bengal finally came under the ambit of the Ayushman Bharat, with the signing of an MoU between the state and National Health Authority on Monday, Union Health Minister J P Nadda took potshots at the previous Mamata Banerjee-led government, stating that people of the state were deprived of the Centre’s health scheme because the former CM kept saying ‘hobe na’ (won’t happen).

The Centre has also resumed implementation of the MGNREGS in Bengal — four years after it was suspended in the state.

At an event held at Vigyan Bhavan in Delhi, where the MoU with regard to Ayushman Bharat was signed, Nadda said the TMC government stayed away from several other health programmes such as upgradation of Ayushman Arogya Mandir and HPV vaccination for girls.

Notably, Bengal was the only state that had not joined the Ayushman Bharat.

CM Suvendu Adhikari said at the event, “There were three states that refused. Who were they? One was Odisha where the people said ‘Ta Ta Bye Bye’ to the government in 2024. Second was Delhi where the government was shown the door (in 2025). The remaining state was West Bengal and even there the citizens ended the government that was against development.”

Nadda said: “We wanted to give money (for the schemes), I even asked Suvendu to convince Mamata didi, to hire community health officers, recruit ASHA workers, put in the logo under the National Health Mission. She again said ‘hobe na’.”

Meanwhile, after meeting Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Adhikari said that Bengal will receive over Rs 700 crore under MGNREGS. The labour budget has been approved only for June keeping in mind the impending rollout of VB – G RAM G, the Centre’s new rural job scheme set to replace the UPA-era scheme on July 1.

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Adhikari said West Bengal will receive around Rs 1,000 crore under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). Sources said that Centre has also allowed resumption of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin). However, the state will receive funds after it conducts a survey under the scheme.

The Ayushman Bharat scheme is expected to cover an estimated 1.43 crore households in Bengal — including 1.24 crore poorest households, 15.95 lakh persons aged 70 and above, and 3.06 lakh frontline health workers. The Centre has already released Rs 976 crore for the scheme, less than a month after the formation of the new government in the state.

CM Adhikari said there were nearly 1 crore migrant workers who travel to other states from Bengal, who will now be able to use their Ayushman card to get treatment wherever they are located.

West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Agarwal said these migrant workers have their Swasthya Sathi card but it is of no use in other states. “Now they will be able to avail benefits of the scheme in all these hospitals,” he said.

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Adhikari said that the National Health Mission was not implemented in the state for the two preceding financial years. “They said ‘it is called Ayushman Arogya Mandir, why is there Mandir in the name? we will not implement it’. Now there is a double-engine sarkaar in the state, the first tranche of Rs 527 crore under NHM has already been released.”

Anonna Dutt is a Principal Correspondent who writes primarily on health at the Indian Express. She reports on myriad topics ranging from the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to the problems with pervasive infectious conditions. She reported on the government’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination programme.

Her stories have resulted in the city government investing in high-end tests for the poor and acknowledging errors in their official reports.

Dutt also takes a keen interest in the country’s space programme and has written on key missions like Chandrayaan 2 and 3, Aditya L1, and Gaganyaan.

She was among the first batch of eleven media fellows with RBM Partnership to End Malaria. She was also selected to participate in the short-term programme on early childhood reporting at Columbia University’s Dart Centre. Dutt has a Bachelor’s Degree from the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune and a PG Diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She started her reporting career with the Hindustan Times.

When not at work, she tries to appease the Duolingo owl with her French skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor. ... Read More

Harikishan Sharma, Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express' National Bureau, specializes in reporting on governance, policy, and data. He covers the Prime Minister’s Office and pivotal central ministries, such as the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Rural Development, and Ministry of Jal Shakti. His work primarily revolves around reporting and policy analysis. In addition to this, he authors a weekly column titled "STATE-ISTICALLY SPEAKING," which is prominently featured on The Indian Express website. In this column, he immerses readers in narratives deeply rooted in socio-economic, political, and electoral data, providing insightful perspectives on these critical aspects of governance and society. ... Read More

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Tags:

ayushman bharat

JP Nadda

Mamata Banerjee

Suvendu Adhikari

West Bengal