Centre, States Review Ayushman Bharat Progress, Set Agenda for Next Phase

The National Health Authority (NHA) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday began a two-day National Review Meeting (Chintan Shivir) to assess the progress and future roadmap of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) . The meeting brought together senior officials from the Centre, States and Union Territories to strengthen healthcare delivery through innovation, digital transformation and improved coordination.

The meeting was inaugurated by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav , who released the NHA Annual Report along with guideline compendiums for district implementation units, beneficiary empowerment and hospital empanelment modules.

Highlighting the achievements of AB PM-JAY , Jadhav said the scheme has provided cashless treatment worth over ₹1.91 lakh crore through a network of more than 37,000 empanelled hospitals across the country, making it one of the world’s largest health assurance programmes. He stressed that the scheme continues to focus on ensuring affordable healthcare access for the poorest and most vulnerable sections of society.

Discussing digital healthcare expansion, the Minister said the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) has created over 94 crore ABHA numbers and linked more than 100 crore health records , building the foundation for a technology-driven healthcare ecosystem. He emphasised that the next phase of ABDM should focus on improving everyday access to health services, including seamless availability of health records and easier discovery of healthcare facilities.

NHA CEO Dr. Sunil Kumar Barnwal highlighted the role of digital public infrastructure, artificial intelligence and data analytics in improving evidence-based healthcare decisions. He said the integration of AB PM-JAY and ABDM would help create a more accessible, efficient and citizen-centric health system.

The review meeting also discussed strengthening claims management, clinical governance, fraud detection systems and technology platforms. Initiatives such as Aarogya Setu 2.0, Ayushman App, Ayushman Sarathi WhatsApp Chatbot, e-Sushrut Clinic, Drug Registry, Unified Health Interface (UHI) and National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX) were reviewed to expand digital health services.

The Chintan Shivir will continue on July 18, 2026 , with discussions on health financing, programme implementation, digital adoption, data analytics and best practices to further strengthen India’s healthcare ecosystem.