Andhra Pradesh may launch Ayushman Bharat under NTR banner

New Delhi: The Centre is expected to sign a memorandum of understanding with Andhra Pradesh on Thursday to launch its recently announced health insurance scheme.

The scheme is likely to be launched in Andhra Pradesh under the banner ‘Ayushman Bharat-NTR Vaidya Seva’ — a combination of the Centre’s ‘Ayushman Bharat -National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM )’ brand and the label given to the state’s existing health protection programme.

The decision, said to be made earlier this week, follows a debate over the name to be given to the scheme that would provide a RS 5 lakh health cover to lakhs of poor families in the state, a senior official close to the development said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.


The Dr NTR Vaidya Seva Trust in the state provides a Rs 2.5 lakh health cover to an estimated 90 lakh families. The Centre will fund 60% of the merged scheme that will cover 55 lakh families identified in the state using the Socio Economic Caste Census data.

However, the Andhra government is planning to provide this scheme to even those families not identified as beneficiaries under AB-NHPM and will take up the responsibility of funding the additional beneficiaries, the official told ET.