PM Narendra Modi’s “Ayushman Bharat” has been merged with Mamata Banerjee government’s “Swasthya Sathi” scheme in West Bengal. Following this merger, insurance coverage under “Swasthya Sathi” has been increased from Rs. 1.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, which is the cover under “Ayushman Bharat”. Mamata Banerjee's “Swasthya Sathi” scheme which was implemented from February 2016, offers health protection to informal contractual workers in government departments and people belonging to the deprivation index.
It provides health coverage to extended family members of the beneficiary, including their parents and spouse. In this regard, the West Bengal Health minister said that “ No other health insurance scheme in the country provides such benefits, our scheme is one of its kind and no central scheme can match it. Under this merged scheme the cost for common beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat and…
