Ayushman Bharat: District Magistrates, Collectors To Identify Beneficiaries For The Scheme As Per NHA Circular

Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (PMJAY), which is the responsibility of National Health Agency (NHA), has recommended all the states in a circular sent out, to authorise district collectors and magistrates to start identifying eligible beneficiaries for the scheme.

The decision was taken after some people, who were present in the list of eligible beneficiaries, were not eligible as they did not fall under the category of “deprived classes” according to the SECC data. An exclusion clause in the SECC (Socio-Economic and Caste Census) data has been asked to be introduced to identify those who are not eligible.

SECC’s 2011 data studied the socio-economic status of households based on certain predefined parameters. Department of Rural Development coordinated the efforts, reported The New Indian Express.

As per records, households with two, three or four-wheeler vehicles, fishing boats or any mechanised agricultural equipment, Kisan Credit Card with limit above Rs 50,000 are excluded from the list. Members earning more than Rs 10,000 per month, paying taxes such as income and professional tax, houses with pucca walls, roof and three rooms or more are also excluded from the list.

Nearly 11 occupational criteria will decide whether someone will qualify for the scheme or not, for urban areas. Rag pickers, beggars, domestic workers, street vendors, cobblers, hawkers and other service providers working on streets, construction workers, plumbers, masons, labourers, painters, welders, security guards, coolies and other head-load workers and sanitation workers, are included in the circular.