RAS question
Approximately how many medical procedures are covered under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY?
Correct answer: (C) 2,000.
Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY covers approximately 2,000 medical procedures under its Health Benefit Package.
Explanation
Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana is framed around a defined Health Benefit Package, not a loose list of hospital services. The cited Press Information Bureau release says the latest national master of the Health Benefit Package provides cashless healthcare services for 1,961 procedures across 27 medical specialties under AB-PMJAY. Since 1,961 is closest to 2,000 among the given choices, option C is the accurate approximation. This also matches the core idea in the question: the scheme covers a broad treatment package, ranging from diagnostics to complex surgeries, rather than only a small set of basic procedures.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) 500 is far below the PIB-supported figure of 1,961 procedures in the latest Health Benefit Package.
- (B) 1,000 understates the actual package size, because the official figure is nearly twice that number at 1,961 procedures.
- (D) 5,000 overstates the coverage; the cited official release supports an approximate figure of 2,000, not 5,000.
Concept
This tests welfare-scheme design under Indian governance, especially how flagship health schemes translate policy promises into defined entitlements. RAS asks such facts because health insurance, public service delivery and Centre-state welfare implementation recur in governance questions.