Ayushman Golden Cards to Be Issued Directly at Ration Shops

• by Akanksha Mishra
• 2026-09-21 15:46:00

In a major administrative initiative aimed at delivering cashless healthcare coverage directly to rural doorsteps, eligible citizens will now be able to obtain their Ayushman Bharat Golden Cards directly from local fair price ration shops. To eliminate the hassle of beneficiaries traveling long distances to common service hubs or administrative headquarters, the Health Department, in close coordination with the Food and Civil Supplies Department, has commenced issuing dedicated Beneficiary Identification System (BIS) operator logins to fair price ration dealers. Under the flagship Ayushman Bharat scheme, registered families or individual members receive an annual financial security shield offering free hospitalization and medical treatment up to Rs 5 lakh across empaneled hospitals nationwide.

Massive Saturation Drive Across 1,364 Ration Shops in Pratapgarh

Leveraging an expansive distribution network comprising 1,364 authorized fair price ration dealers spread across every village panchayat and municipal ward in Pratapgarh district, the joint departmental initiative aims to saturate more than 2.5 lakh eligible cardholders within an aggressive three-month timeline. The priority target group encompasses 74,190 Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) ration cardholding families as well as priority household ration cardholders with six or more listed family units, who collectively account for over 1.5 lakh eligible beneficiaries awaiting their healthcare credentials.

Cluster Management Strategy to Accelerate Three-Month Saturation Target

Detailing the ground-level execution model, In-charge District Supply Officer Pankaj Singh explained that administrative clusters have been established by grouping 8 to 10 fair price shop dealers under unified operator credentials. Through these newly provisioned digital operator IDs, village ration dealers are actively liaising with grassroots Health Department teams, visiting rural hamlets to verify records and generate instant golden cards on-site. By turning neighborhood ration depots into localized health enrollment counters, the administration ensures that thousands of vulnerable households can secure their Rs 5 lakh medical entitlement without facing bureaucratic roadblocks.

Previous Post

When brother-in-law got married, sister-in-law got irritated, called him to the farm and then… how did one mistake become a noose around the neck?

Next Post

Rs 81 Lakh Rural Projects Unveiled With New RCC Roads, Drainage, and RO Plant