‘Missing’ in 2011 Census, many deprive of Ayushman Bharat ‘Sehat’ Golden card

While the government has aggressively intensified the exercise of registering the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir under Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) but ‘missing’ in the 2011 Census, many deserving beneficiaries remain deprived of the ‘Golden Card’ under the scheme.

The Government of India in 2020 launched the Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) to facilitate the people of Jammu and Kashmir to provide free access to health insurance coverage for low income earners likewise in other parts of the country.

However, sources in the Health Department revealed that those included in the 2011 Census are eligible to get registered to avail benefits under the scheme after ‘Golden Cards’ are issued.

“Many deserving beneficiaries despite possessing the ration card or the Aadhar card are not falling in the ambit of getting registered under AB PM-JAY because of the reason that their names are found missing in the 2011 Census,” sources said.

Pramod Sharma, 65, one of the beneficiaries denied the ‘Golden Card’ after he was not found listed in the 2011 Census list.

“I was surprised to find myself not included in the census list,” Sharma, a resident of Talab Tillo, expressed at one of the Camps underway for registration.

He said that he was possessing all valid documents like Aadhar card, Voter ID card, Ration Card, Pan Card but the names of his entire family were ‘missing’ in the 2011 census which sent him a wave of shock.

“How is it possible? I have failed to understand,” he said, adding that he has been participating in the electoral process, performing all his activities based upon the valid documents but could not be registered for the beneficial scheme.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2020 launched the (AB-PMJAY) SEHAT scheme for the residents of Jammu and Kashmir through virtual mode to provide benefits to as many as one crore eligible people on the basis of Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011.

It was not the lone case of denying rightful benefits of the scheme to him but the scene was common at many ongoing camps.

Sureshta Mahajan, 41, resident of Chand Nagar, also faced the similar situation.
“My name is not figuring in the 2011 census despite having all valid documents with me,” she said expressing surprise adding that all family members are born before 2011 but the names are missing, which left her into tizzy and also deprived of benefits can be availed under (AB-PMJAY) scheme.

Ishfaq Bhat of Mohalla Ustad, who faced the similar fate, said, “we had not registered till date under Ayushman Bharat scheme but when the government established special camps, thought of registration thinking that god forbid if anybody in the family falls ill, can be treated free of cost in any of the recognized hospital but astonishingly, our names are not in the list.”

“We have been issued a form by the officer in chair and asked to report the matter to the concerned authorities for further action following which their names can be included in the 2011 census list they will be entitled to avail the benefits,” he asserted.

Ayushman Bharat National Health Protection Scheme is a national public health insurance fund of the Government of India that aims to provide free access to health insurance coverage for low income earners in the country.

When anyone needs additional care, then PM-JAY provides free secondary health care for needing specialist treatment and tertiary health care for those requiring hospitalization.

The benefits of the scheme would be portable across all 24,148 hospitals enlisted under ABPM-JAY in India.
The PM-JAY, world’s largest health insurance/assurance scheme fully financed by the government, provides a cover of Rs.5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization across public and private empaneled hospitals in India.

It covers medical procedures such as oncology, cardiology, nephrology etc. and up to three days of pre-hospitalization and 15 days post-hospitalization expenses such as diagnostics and medicines are also included in the scheme.