Punjab has launched the Mukhyamantri Sehat Yojana, offering ₹10 lakh cashless medical cover annually to every family, regardless of income or occupation, aiming to reduce healthcare costs and ensure timely treatment for all residents.

In a landmark move towards universal healthcare, the Punjab government has rolled out the Mukhyamantri Sehat Yojana, promising free, cashless medical treatment of up to ₹10 lakh per family each year.

The scheme applies uniformly across the state, cutting through traditional eligibility filters linked to income, caste, employment status, or land ownership. According to the government, nearly 65 lakh families-covering close to three crore residents-stand to benefit from the initiative.

The scheme allows beneficiaries to avail treatment for more than 2,500 medical procedures, ranging from routine interventions to high-cost surgeries for serious illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, kidney ailments, and neurological disorders.

Both government hospitals and a large network of empanelled private hospitals in Punjab and neighbouring Chandigarh are part of the programme, ensuring that patients have multiple options for care.

By making the treatment cashless, the government has committed to directly settling hospital bills, removing the need for families to arrange funds upfront-a hurdle that often delays or denies care, particularly for low- and middle-income households.

“Healthcare Is a Right, Not a Privilege”: Government’s Stand

Launching the scheme, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann described it as a decisive step towards protecting citizens from the financial shock of medical emergencies.

“No one should have to sell their land, jewellery, or take loans to save a loved one’s life,” Mann said, reiterating that healthcare must be treated as a fundamental right rather than a privilege available only to those who can afford it.

AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, who was present at the launch event, termed the initiative “historic,” claiming it to be among the most comprehensive state-funded health cover schemes in the country.

He said the government’s focus was on eliminating fear-fear of hospital bills, fear of delayed treatment, and fear of lifelong debt caused by illness.

Health department officials added that the scheme has been designed to minimise paperwork and bureaucratic delays. Registration requires basic identification documents such as Aadhaar and voter ID, and enrolment camps have been organised at the local level to ensure wider participation.

Who Stands to Benefit-and How

Unlike insurance-based schemes that often exclude informal workers, migrants, or those without stable documentation, the Mukhyamantri Sehat Yojana aims to be inclusive by design.

Families employed in agriculture, daily wage labour, small businesses, and the unorganised sector-groups that typically lack employer-backed insurance-are expected to be among the biggest beneficiaries.

Officials said beneficiaries would receive health cards that can be used across empanelled hospitals. Common service centres, government offices, and local outreach programmes have been tasked with assisting residents in registering and understanding the benefits available under the scheme.

By covering tertiary care and specialised treatments, the government hopes to address one of the most persistent drivers of poverty: catastrophic health expenditure.

Studies have repeatedly shown that medical costs push millions of Indian families into debt every year, often wiping out years of savings in a single hospitalisation.

Building on Existing Healthcare Reforms

The new scheme builds on Punjab’s recent efforts to strengthen its public health system, including the expansion of Aam Aadmi Clinics across urban and rural areas.

These clinics were designed to provide free primary healthcare and diagnostics, while the Mukhyamantri Sehat Yojana focuses on secondary and tertiary care, creating a broader continuum of health services.

Officials say the government has also worked on increasing hospital empanelment and negotiating treatment package rates to ensure sustainability. An insurance partner has been roped in to manage claims, while the state retains oversight to prevent misuse and ensure timely reimbursements.

However, the government acknowledges that the success of the scheme will depend heavily on implementation-particularly in ensuring hospital participation, preventing denial of services, and maintaining transparency in claims processing.

Concerns, Criticism, and the Road Ahead

Opposition parties have questioned the financial viability of the scheme, arguing that the government may struggle to sustain such a large-scale commitment over time.

Some leaders have also raised concerns about whether the promised coverage will translate into real access on the ground, citing past experiences where beneficiaries faced difficulties at empanelled hospitals.

Health policy experts have echoed the need for strong monitoring mechanisms. They stress that while universal coverage is a powerful goal, issues such as hospital capacity, staffing shortages, and grievance redressal systems must be addressed simultaneously to avoid gaps between policy and practice.

In response, the state government has said it plans to continuously review the scheme, expand hospital networks, and introduce feedback systems to identify and resolve problems faced by patients.

The Logical Indian’s Perspective

Healthcare lies at the heart of dignity, equality, and social justice. Punjab’s move to offer universal, cashless medical cover reflects a people-centric vision that prioritises compassion over classification and inclusion over exclusion.

While fiscal responsibility and effective implementation will determine its long-term success, the intent to shield families from the crushing burden of medical debt deserves recognition.

As India grapples with rising healthcare costs, initiatives like this invite a deeper national conversation on health as a collective responsibility.