RAS question
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) provides every citizen with a:
Correct answer: (D) Unique health ID (ABHA).
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) gives every citizen a unique 14-digit health identification number through the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA), enabling digital health records to be stored and shared.
Explanation
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) builds the system for digital health records; it does not provide health insurance, free medicines or priority in hospital admission. Its main citizen-facing feature is the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) number, a unique 14-digit health identity that helps people access and share digital health records. The mission has four building blocks: Health ID identifies the person; the Healthcare Professional Registry and Health Facility Registry identify health professionals and facilities; and personal health record apps support health records. Together, these connect citizens, health professionals and health facilities within a digital system. Therefore, the correct answer is the unique ABHA health identification number.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Free health insurance is not an ABDM benefit. Health insurance of up to Rs 5 lakh is associated with Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), whereas ABDM provides a digital health identity.
- (B) Priority in hospital admission is not an ABHA feature or an ABDM building block. The mission concerns digital identity, registries and health records, not priority in an admission queue.
- (C) Providing free medicines is not an ABDM function. Jan Aushadhi is associated with affordable medicines, whereas ABDM enables digital health records.
Concept
This tests the distinction among benefits, identity and digital infrastructure in government schemes, a recurring RAS Science and Technology theme. A common trap is to confuse Ayushman Bharat benefit schemes with ABDM's digital identity system.