Residents of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands who have yet to generate their Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana cards are being urged to do so, as the Union Territory’s health department seeks to broaden access to cashless treatment, replacing the now-defunct ANISHI scheme.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands residents who still have not generated Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana cards are being urged to do so, as the Union Territory’s health department pushes to widen access to cashless treatment for families that once depended on the older ANISHI scheme. The department says the current cover offers up to ₹5 lakh a family a year for secondary and tertiary care at empanelled hospitals across India, replacing the standalone island-specific arrangement that ended in 2020.
ANISHI was launched on 23 September 2018 to help island residents who often had to travel to the mainland for specialist care. According to the NITI for States compendium on Ayushman Bharat best practices, the scheme provided cashless hospital treatment and portability for referred patients, while also recognising the logistical burden created by the islands’ geography. The document said transport support was an important part of the arrangement, especially for patients sent to mainland hospitals for treatment.
The health department says former ANISHI beneficiaries, including pensioners of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration and households with annual incomes below ₹3 lakh, are now covered under AB-PMJAY. It has also pointed to broader eligibility under the national programme, including SECC and NFSA categories, ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers and helpers, building and other construction workers, and senior citizens aged 70 and above through the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card.
Local reports cite official data showing that roughly 89,000 beneficiaries in the islands have been identified under the scheme, while about 60 to 70 patients are referred each month to mainland hospitals for specialist treatment. The department has been running card-generation drives at health facilities and through Common Service Centres, and says eligible residents should carry Aadhaar and ration cards when applying. It has also highlighted the AB-PMJAY helpline for those needing assistance.
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