CONTEXT:

• Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has urged the Chief Ministers of Delhi, Odisha, Telangana and West Bengal to join Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.
• 32 states and Union Territories have accepted the scheme running successfully in providing financial protection to crores of people.
• The Health Minister made it clear that financial resources will be made available to the States with adequate flexibility in the spirit of cooperative federalism.
• Under the health protection scheme, over 10.7 crore families from poor and vulnerable section will get the health cover of five lakh rupees annually for treatment.