Lucknow: Baghpat has emerged as the top-performing district in Uttar Pradesh under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, with more than 94% of targeted families covered and claims worth over Rs 123 crore processed, officials said on Tuesday.The scheme provides cashless treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh annually to eligible families at empaneled government and private hospitals.District magistrate Asmita Lal said over 3.5 lakh beneficiaries have been brought under the scheme in Baghpat, making the Ayushman card a “symbol of security and confidence” for residents.Officials added that the district has also achieved saturation coverage of all old-age pension beneficiaries and extended benefits to families of teachers, employees and other groups.Ground-level impact is visible through individual cases. Shweta from Baraut, who was unable to afford a Rs 2 lakh hip surgery, underwent the procedure free of cost under the scheme and has since recovered.Similarly, another patient, Samadeen, received treatment for kidney stones without paying Rs 55,000, while Sahana from Barawad underwent appendicitis surgery free of cost, easing financial stress on her family.Authorities said such cases underline a shift from earlier situations where families often fell into debt due to medical expenses. With widespread coverage and streamlined claim processes, the scheme has significantly reduced out-of-pocket expenditure for healthcare.
