Maharashtra government on Friday announced that all residents of the state will be provided free health care treatment under its Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY).
The announcement was made by state health minister Rajesh Tope who said that with this Maharashtra has become the first state in the country to provide free and cashless insurance cover to its people.
Under this beneficiary scheme, treatment for all COVID-19 patients, even those treated in private hospitals will also be covered, he said.
"An important decision was announced today on Maharashtra Day to provide free health care to 100 per cent of the people in the state under Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana. Maharashtra is the only state in the country to provide free and cashless insurance cover to its people," Tope said in a tweet.
According to the statement issued by the government, earlier 496 hospitals were covered under this scheme and now over 1,000 hospitals have been included under this beneficiary scheme of affordable health services from Maharashtra government.
Maharashtra Foundation Day or Maharashtra Diwas is celebrated every year on May 1, as on this day erstwhile Bombay State was divided into Maharashtra and Gujarat in 1960.
( With inputs from ANI )