Rampur has emerged as Uttar Pradesh’s leading district in Ayushman card issuance, with 1.79 lakh cards issued in a year. However, the district’s achievement is part of a wider statewide effort to extend healthcare security to eligible families. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, districts across Uttar Pradesh are intensifying enrolment drives, organising special camps and coordinating with health workers to ensure that financial constraints do not prevent poor families from accessing hospital treatment.The progress made in other districts is equally significant. During the special campaign conducted from May 15 to August 14, 2026, Uttar Pradesh added 20,48,712 beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. Jaunpur recorded the highest number of new cards during this period, followed by Bareilly and Prayagraj. The results highlight the contribution of district administrations and healthcare teams in expanding the reach of the scheme.
Jaunpur leads the three-month campaign
Jaunpur topped the state during the special drive, with 78,427 Ayushman cards issued. Bareilly followed with 75,636 cards, while Prayagraj recorded 73,976. Budaun issued 61,112 cards, Lucknow registered 58,534 and Moradabad added 54,754. Rampur, despite leading the state in the separate annual performance assessment, also made a substantial contribution to the campaign, issuing 52,776 cards during these three months.These figures demonstrate that the expansion of healthcare coverage is not confined to one region. Districts with different demographic profiles are working to identify eligible beneficiaries and facilitate enrolment through local-level outreach.Jaunpur’s performance underscores the importance of sustained mobilisation, while Bareilly and Prayagraj have also demonstrated their ability to reach large numbers of people in a limited period. The results from Lucknow and Moradabad further illustrate the importance of coordinated implementation in districts with substantial urban and rural populations.The campaign focused on reaching eligible people who had not yet obtained their cards. Camps were organised across rural and urban areas, bringing registration facilities closer to communities and improving awareness about the scheme’s benefits.
Rampur sets the benchmark
Rampur’s achievement provides another example of how sustained district-level efforts can accelerate enrolment. The district issued 1.79 lakh cards over the preceding year and was ranked first in Uttar Pradesh in the annual assessment announced in October 2026.The district had issued a total of 6,91,928 Ayushman cards under the scheme, for which the district administration was honoured with a certificate of appreciation and a memento at a state-level programme in Lucknow.It highlights an important dimension of healthcare delivery: identifying eligible beneficiaries is only the first step; helping them obtain their cards and understand how to access treatment is equally important.
A statewide effort backed by national health protection
The achievements of these districts are part of Uttar Pradesh’s larger expansion of Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. The scheme provides eligible beneficiary families with cashless hospitalisation cover of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care. It is designed to reduce the financial burden of serious illnesses and help families avoid being pushed into debt because of medical expenses.The Union government reported that Uttar Pradesh had created 5.32 crore Ayushman cards as of June 30, 2025, with more than 74 per cent of eligible beneficiaries having obtained cards by that date. The state also had 5,940 empanelled hospitals under the scheme, including 2,949 public hospitals and 2,991 private hospitals. These figures provide an official baseline for understanding the scale of implementation before the subsequent enrolment drives.The expansion of coverage is especially important for families requiring treatment for cancer, heart disease, major surgeries and other serious conditions. For economically vulnerable households, access to cashless treatment can mean the difference between seeking timely medical care and postponing it because of cost.
Reaching those who remain outside the safety net
The experience of Jaunpur, Bareilly, Prayagraj, Budaun, Lucknow, Moradabad and Rampur points to the value of targeted campaigns. Camps and local outreach can help eligible people overcome practical barriers to enrolment, particularly when they are unaware of their eligibility or need assistance completing the process.However, card issuance alone does not measure the full impact of the scheme. Effective implementation also requires beneficiaries to know which hospitals are empanelled, understand the treatment covered and receive assistance when they need to use their cards. District administrations and health authorities must therefore combine enrolment with awareness and support for accessing hospital services.The next phase of the effort will depend on identifying remaining eligible beneficiaries, maintaining accurate records and ensuring that newly enrolled families can use their coverage when required.
From enrolment to meaningful healthcare access
Uttar Pradesh’s district-level achievements reflect a broader policy objective of making healthcare protection more accessible to ordinary families. Rampur’s annual performance and Jaunpur’s leadership in the three-month campaign show how focused local action can contribute to a statewide programme.The Yogi government’s challenge is now to sustain this momentum across all districts, with particular attention to eligible families who remain outside the coverage network. By linking enrolment drives with public awareness, hospital access and assistance for vulnerable patients, the state can strengthen the practical value of Ayushman Bharat.Ultimately, the success of the initiative will be measured not merely by the number of cards issued but by whether families can obtain timely, cashless treatment when serious illness strikes. That is the central promise of Ayushman Bharat—and the objective behind Uttar Pradesh’s continuing drive to extend health security to those who need it most.(District Story)
