New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS): In a significant testament to the success of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), the residents of Jhounji village in Bihar's Madhubani district are benefitting immensely from the free treatment offered under the scheme.

Asharfi Rai, a resident of Jhounji village in the Benipatti area, sustained a hip fracture after an accident. He was admitted to the surgical ward of Sadar Hospital, where his operation was performed free of charge under the PM-JAY scheme. Speaking to IANS, Rai expressed gratitude towards the government, stating, “I have not spent any money on the surgery. The Ayushman Bharat Yojana has been a significant help.”

Rai’s wife added, “The treatment has been progressing well without any charges for the surgery. This scheme is a blessing for families like ours.”

She also mentioned that the entire treatment was covered under the PM-JAY scheme.

The PM-JAY scheme, which provides up to Rs 5 lakh of free medical treatment per family annually, has been a boon for low-income families across the country.

Asharfi Rai and his family conveyed their heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for launching the scheme, calling it a "blessing for the poor."

Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY is the largest health assurance scheme in the world, providing health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to over 12 crore poor and vulnerable families (approximately 55 crore beneficiaries) that form the bottom 40 per cent of the country's population.

The households included are based on the deprivation and occupational criteria of the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011) for rural and urban areas respectively. PM-JAY was earlier known as the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) before being rechristened. PM-JAY is fully funded by the Government.