Mohali, January 22
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today launched the ‘Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna’ (MMSY), extending free treatment of up to ₹10 lakh to every family in the state. Mann said that with the scheme now in force, even the most expensive private hospitals previously accessible only to the wealthy are opened to the poor, marking a decisive shift in public welfare delivery.
An official release issued in this regard by the state government mentioned that under the AAP government, Punjab now becomes the first state in the country to guarantee free healthcare, free education, free electricity and free bus travel for women. AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal asserted that power-hungry opposition parties remain consumed by internal battles and that only the AAP can secure a safe future for Punjab.
On this occasion, Kejriwal and Mann handed over Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna cards to some of the eligible beneficiaries. Mann said the scheme has been launched for the welfare of every section of society, inspired by the teachings of Guru Sahiban. “Health cards will be issued to all 65 lakh families, covering nearly three crore citizens of Punjab,” he said, adding that for the first time no income limit has been fixed for any health scheme in the state.
“With the launch of this scheme today, Punjab has set a new benchmark for the entire country,” the Chief Minister said, underlining that Punjab has now become the first state to provide free healthcare, free education, free electricity, and free bus travel for women.
Highlighting the expanded coverage, the Chief Minister said that more than 2,356 treatment packages have been included under the scheme, compared to 1,600 earlier. “Specialised treatments such as Orthopaedics, General Medicine, Cardiology, Neurology, Nephrology, Urology, Oncology, and several others are being offered,” he said.
Mann added that the scheme also covers cardiac procedures, cancer treatment, kidney dialysis and transplants, brain and spine surgeries, maternity and newborn care, accident and emergency services, knee and hip replacement surgeries, cataract surgery, and many other critical treatments. The Chief Minister said that along with hospital expenses, diagnostic services have also been included in the scheme. “Any citizen can now get free treatment at any government or private hospital in Punjab or Chandigarh,” he said, adding that hospitals will be paid the treatment cost within 15 days after treatment. He noted that the state government has already paid the advance premium to the insurance company to ensure smooth implementation.
Reiterating the core objective of the scheme, Mann said that no citizen of Punjab will now be forced to skip treatment due to lack of money. “We pray for the good health and well-being of all Punjabis, but if someone falls ill, they no longer need to worry about arranging money for treatment,” he said. Sharing personal experiences, he said he knew families who had lost their entire savings on medical treatment and others who had surrendered to disease due to financial pressure. “If anyone registers for this scheme today, they become eligible for its benefits from today itself,” he said.
