🔴 July 1, 2026 = 23 days away. West Bengal Ayushman Bharat rollout begins. Check your eligibility now.
Kolkata’s Ratan Das has held a Swasthya Sathi card for 4 years. His wife needed a knee replacement — ₹1.8 lakh. Under Swasthya Sathi, the treatment was covered at a state-empanelled hospital in Kolkata.
From July 1, 2026, West Bengal joins Ayushman Bharat (PMJAY). Ratan is now wondering: will his Swasthya Sathi coverage automatically transfer? Will the same hospitals accept his new Ayushman card? Will he be eligible?
The answer — explained clearly below.
Ayushman Bharat PMJAY in West Bengal is the Central government’s flagship health insurance scheme now being rolled out in West Bengal from July 1, 2026, under the new BJP government led by CM Suvendu Adhikari. It replaces the state-run Swasthya Sathi scheme. 6 crore Swasthya Sathi beneficiaries are expected to migrate. Coverage: ₹5 lakh per family per year — cashless — 36,000+ hospitals across India including AIIMS and CMC Vellore.
Central healthcare package approved: ₹3,505 crore for West Bengal.
Official Portal: pmjay.gov.in | Beneficiary check: beneficiary.nha.gov.in Helpline: 14555 (24×7 Toll-free)
Quick Answer (দ্রুত উত্তর): Eligibility check: pmjay.gov.in → Am I Eligible → Mobile OTP → Check Card apply: beneficiary.nha.gov.in → Enrol → Aadhaar eKYC → Download July 1, 2026 = WB official rollout date Swasthya Sathi auto-migrates? Only if in SECC 2011 data — check separately 70+ seniors: Extra ₹5 lakh — Vay Vandana scheme Helpline: 14555
West Bengal — What Changed in 2026
For 7 years, West Bengal was the only major state that did not implement Ayushman Bharat. The previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) government under CM Mamata Banerjee ran its own “Swasthya Sathi” scheme instead, which was near-universal but limited to WB hospitals only.
After the BJP’s victory in the May 2026 assembly elections, new CM Suvendu Adhikari announced:
- July 1, 2026: Ayushman Bharat officially launches in West Bengal
- 6 crore Swasthya Sathi beneficiaries to migrate to PMJAY
- ₹3,505 crore central healthcare package approved for WB
- Pan-India portability: WB residents can now get treated anywhere in India
⭐ Most Important — Not All Swasthya Sathi = PMJAY Eligible
This is what most WB residents don’t know — and it is the most critical warning:
Swasthya Sathi was designed to be near-universal — almost all WB families had it. Ayushman Bharat uses SECC 2011 (Socio-Economic Caste Census) data — this is a narrower, poverty-focused database. Many Swasthya Sathi holders may NOT be in the PMJAY national database. If you are not in SECC 2011 data = you may not get PMJAY card automatically.
Do not assume your coverage transfers. Check separately.
Eligibility — Who Qualifies for PMJAY in West Bengal?
2 pathways:
Pathway 1 — SECC 2011 (Automatic): Rural families in SECC 2011 deprivation categories OR Urban workers in 11 occupational categories → Automatically eligible → Check and enrol.
Pathway 2 — State Top-up (WB Government): WB government is expected to announce a state-funded top-up for Swasthya Sathi beneficiaries NOT in SECC 2011 data. Official notification pending — watch pmjay.gov.in.
| Category | Status |
|---|---|
| SECC 2011 rural deprived | ✅ PMJAY eligible |
| Urban worker (11 categories) | ✅ PMJAY eligible |
| 70+ senior citizens | ✅ Vay Vandana — income-independent |
| Swasthya Sathi only (not SECC) | ⚠️ Check — state top-up pending |
Check Your PMJAY Eligibility — Step by Step
Step 1: pmjay.gov.in open karein → “Am I Eligible”
Step 2: Mobile number → OTP → Login
Step 3: Enter: Name / Ration Card Number / Aadhaar Number
Step 4: State: West Bengal → Search
Step 5: If your name appears → Eligible → Proceed to enrol If not found → Contact nearest CSC or Ayushman Mitra
How to Get Ayushman Card — West Bengal
Step 1: beneficiary.nha.gov.in open karein
Step 2: Mobile OTP → Login
Step 3: Eligibility verified → “Enrol” button
Step 4: Aadhaar number → eKYC:
- OTP method (Aadhaar-linked mobile)
- Face authentication (Ayushman app)
- Biometric (CSC centre)
Step 5: Card generated → Download PDF → Print or save on phone
Offline: Nearest CSC centre → Ayushman Mitra → Biometric registration → Card
Swasthya Sathi vs Ayushman Bharat — Key Differences
| Swasthya Sathi | Ayushman Bharat PMJAY | |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | ₹5 lakh/family | ₹5 lakh/family |
| Valid in | WB hospitals only | 36,000+ hospitals — all India |
| Eligibility | Near-universal WB | SECC 2011 — specific criteria |
| Portability | No | ✅ Yes — any state |
| Central funding | State only | Central + State |
| From July 2026 | Being replaced | Active in WB |
Biggest gain: Pan-India portability. WB resident in Delhi hospital = covered. Biggest concern: Not all Swasthya Sathi holders = PMJAY eligible.
70+ Senior Citizens — Extra ₹5 Lakh (Vay Vandana)
All WB seniors 70+ get this regardless of income:
Ayushman Vay Vandana Yojana = extra ₹5 lakh/year for 70+ seniors. On top of family’s ₹5 lakh = total ₹10 lakh coverage for 70+ member. Income limit = none. SECC eligibility = not required. enrol at beneficiary.nha.gov.in → 70+ Enrolment → Ayushman Vay Vandana.
July 2026 Timeline — What to Do Now
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| Now (June 8) | Check eligibility: pmjay.gov.in → Am I Eligible |
| Before July 1 | Enrol and get card: beneficiary.nha.gov.in |
| July 1, 2026 | Ayushman Bharat officially active in WB |
| After July 1 | Use Ayushman card at all empanelled hospitals |
| Swasthya Sathi | Valid until convergence — watch for official notification |
Empanelled Hospitals in West Bengal
Find PMJAY-empanelled hospitals near you:
pmjay.gov.in → Find Hospital → State: West Bengal → District → Hospital list
Major Kolkata hospitals: Most large private hospitals are being onboarded. Government hospitals: Already empanelled. List expanding as July 1 approaches — check regularly.
Common Problems + Fix
“Name not found in eligibility check”: Try with ration card number. Or Aadhaar number. Visit nearest CSC → manual database check. State top-up notification pending.
“eKYC not working”: Use Face Authentication via Ayushman app. Or CSC centre biometric.
“Card download not working”: Wait 24 hours after eKYC. Try UMANG app → Ayushman Bharat → Download card.
“Swasthya Sathi hospital now says not empanelled”: PMJAY empanelment is ongoing. Hospital list expanding until July 1. Check pmjay.gov.in → Find Hospital.
FAQ — সাধারণ প্রশ্নোত্তর
When does Ayushman Bharat start in West Bengal? (পশ্চিমবঙ্গে আয়ুষ্মান ভারত কবে চালু হবে?) July 1, 2026. CM Suvendu Adhikari announced the official rollout date.
Will my Swasthya Sathi card automatically become Ayushman card? (স্বাস্থ্যসাথী কার্ড কি আপনাআপনি আয়ুষ্মান কার্ড হয়ে যাবে?) Not automatically. Check your PMJAY eligibility separately at pmjay.gov.in. Swasthya Sathi uses different data than SECC 2011.
Am I eligible if I am not in SECC 2011? (SECC 2011-এ নাম না থাকলে কি পাব?) WB government is expected to announce a state top-up for those not in SECC 2011. Watch for official notification.
70+ seniors eligible? (৭০+ বয়সীরা কি পাবেন?) Yes — Ayushman Vay Vandana = extra ₹5 lakh for all 70+ regardless of income.
Helpline: 14555 | pmjay.gov.in
Official Links
| Purpose | Link |
|---|---|
| Eligibility Check | pmjay.gov.in |
| Card Enrolment | beneficiary.nha.gov.in |
| Hospital Search | pmjay.gov.in → Find Hospital |
| Ayushman App | Google Play → “Ayushman” |
| Helpline | 14555 |
Ratan Das checked his eligibility — name found in SECC data. Got his Ayushman card before July 1. His wife’s knee replacement — cashless — now valid at hospitals across India too.
West Bengal residents — check your PMJAY eligibility now at pmjay.gov.in. July 1 is 23 days away. পশ্চিমবঙ্গবাসীরা — এখনই আয়ুষ্মান ভারতের যোগ্যতা যাচাই করুন।
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- Ayushman Card Eligibility 2026
- Ayushman Vay Vandana Card 2026
- Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme 2026
- PMJAY Registration 2026