The Government of Gujarat has launched Mukhyamantri Amrutam (MA) Vatsalya Yojana to provide free quality health-care to the poor families in Gujarat. The scheme is primarily meant for the Below Poverty Lines (BPL), Lower Income Group (LIG) and Lower Middle Class (LMC) families in the state. The scheme was originally launched on 4th September 2012 and then upgraded in 2014. Recently in 2017, the LMC is included in the scheme.
Introduction of the Programme: –
For people who are living below poverty line & lower income group, an illness not only represents a permanent threat to their income and earning capacity, but in many cases, it results in the family falling into a trap of debt. When need to get treatment arises for a poor family they often ignore it because of lack of resources, fearing loss of wages or they wait till the last moment when it is too late. Health and poverty are interwoven. These families are pushed into a vicious debt poverty cycle due to excessive expenditures arising out of catastrophic health shocks.
To address this key vulnerability faced by the BPL population in the Gujarat, Mukhyamantri Amrutam “MA” Yojana was launched on 4th September 2012 by Government of Gujarat.
When in the Lower middle-class families, critical illness occurs and when such families are not included in the definition of BPL so they cannot get free treatment, and they are not able to spend money for critical illness. So, based on feedback from various stakeholders, the Scheme was extended to “all the families having an annual income Rs.1.20 lakh or below Rs.1.20 lakh per annum names as Mukhyamantri Amrutam Vatsalya” in August 2014.
In Current Financial Year 2017-18, Income Limit of Rs. 1.20 lakh or below for middle-class families under “MA Vatsalya” Yojana is increased up to Rs. 1.50 lakh per annum.
During the year of 2016, U-win Cardholders are also included under the scheme.
- To provide quality and free medical checkup, treatment, and surgery to the poor patients
- To save the lives of the patients in poor families
- To save families from taking loans for health-care
- To provide social security to the lower-income groups
- Free medical checkup, treatment, and surgery for 698 defined procedures along with their follow-ups
- Benefits of Rs. 5,00,000 for Kidney Transplant, Liver Transplant, Kidney + Pancrease Transplant procedures
- Rs. 40,000 per one Knee and Hip replacement procedures
- Cashless treatment
- Health-care cover of Rs. 3 Lakh per family
- Paperless claim processing
- Early claim settlement
- Residents of Gujarat state
- Below poverty lines families
- Low-income group families
- Middle lower-class families
- Families with income less than Rs. 3 lakh per year
- In case of families with senior citizens with income less than Rs. 6 lakh per year
- A compulsory card for availing benefits of Mukhyamantri Amrutam (MA) Vatsalya Yojana
- It is a QR coded card (Quick Response Coded Card) issued by the government
- The card is per family of 5 newborns can be 6th member on the same card
- The card has a photograph of the head of the family, a unique registration number (URN), District name, Taluka name and Village name and the biometric thumb impressions of all the enrolled family
- Income certificate is required to apply for the MA Vatsalya Card
- Following offices are assigned for providing income certificates to the beneficiaries: District Collector, District Development Officer, Deputy Collector / Assistant Collector, Province Officer, Deputy District Development Officer, Taluka Mamlatdar, Taluka Development Officer, Deputy Mamlatdar
Scheme Features: –
An Implementation Support Agency has been appointed for claim processing and appointment of Regional Coordinator, District Coordinator & Arogya Mitra.
Achievements: – Mukhyamantri Amrutam Yojana has been awarded by the prestigious SKOCH Awards for Smart Governance 2014 on 20th September 2014.
Mukhyamantri Amrutam (MA) Yojana has been awarded for Best Affordable Healthcare Initiative in Healthcare summit 2016 at Jaipur.
- Beneficiaries can present the AM Vatsalya card in the hospital to avail free treatment, medicines, follow-up and transportation, etc
- District-wise list of government hospitals:
- Private hospitals: District-wise list of hospitals for AM Vatsalya Yojana
- Standalone dialysis center:
- Mukhyamantri Amrutam (MA) Vatsalya Yojana official website: magujarat.com