Chandigarh, July 6: More than 4.43 lakh patients across Punjab have received free medical care under the state’s Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, involving an expenditure of over ₹782.79 crore. Official data from the State Health Agency indicates that the welfare program has successfully expanded its reach into both major urban centers and rural pockets, offering cashless treatment at government and empanelled private hospitals.
Patiala has emerged as the leading district in the state for program utilization, accounting for 52,672 patients and a treatment expenditure of nearly ₹79.15 crore. Bathinda followed closely with an expenditure of ₹76.81 crore for 30,813 patients, while Ludhiana recorded 44,227 beneficiaries with a total utilization of ₹60.54 crore.
Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh affirmed that the initiative represents a significant transition toward structured public care. “Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana is not merely a policy on paper; it is a lifeline for families who once feared hospital bills more than illness itself,” the Health Minister stated. He asserted that the administration aims to ensure no household in the state is pushed into economic distress due to sudden medical crises.
The impact of the program is visible in rural areas where families previously faced severe financial constraints during health emergencies. Gurmeet Singh, a 62-year-old farmer from Mansa, declared, “If this scheme wasn’t there, I would have sold land for treatment.” Similar feedback has been noted across districts like Sangrur, Hoshiarpur, and Ferozepur, where hospital admissions under the state initiative continue to rise.
Substantial progress was also recorded in other regions, with Jalandhar logging 27,682 patients, Amritsar counting 20,503, and S.A.S Nagar registering 20,085 beneficiaries. Smaller districts like Kapurthala and Malerkotla registered 9,384 and 3,181 patients respectively, while regions like Gurdaspur and Rupnagar showed steady growth, indicating expanding awareness and hospital partnerships.
