Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has reaffirmed that providing health insurance coverage to every citizen remains a top government priority, with the ambitious goal of achieving universal coverage by 2033. Speaking at a public event, she announced the launch of a large-scale rural outreach campaign aimed at expanding awareness and enrolment in health insurance schemes across the country.
The minister stated that the government has rolled out a special drive covering 25,000 gram panchayats nationwide to bring health insurance benefits closer to rural households. The initiative includes door-to-door campaigns, community meetings, and simplified enrolment processes to ensure that families in remote villages understand and access available schemes such as Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and state-level health insurance programmes.
Sitharaman emphasised that health security is essential for inclusive economic growth and social stability. She noted that the government is working to increase both the depth of coverage (sum insured) and the breadth (number of people covered) while improving hospital networks, claim settlement efficiency, and digital access to services.
The rural outreach plan is being implemented in coordination with state governments, district administrations, gram panchayats, ASHA workers, and insurance companies. Special focus is being given to women, senior citizens, and economically vulnerable families who often face high out-of-pocket health expenses.
The minister’s remarks come at a time when India is expanding public health insurance to reduce financial hardship caused by medical emergencies. The Ayushman Bharat scheme alone has already provided coverage to over 55 crore people, and the government aims to build on this foundation to reach universal health protection within the next seven years.
