In a bid to provide free of cost medical care to the personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), the health insurance services under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) will soon be extended to the CAPF personnel and their dependents, reports Businessworld.

This first of its kind initiative for convergence between PMJAY and CAPF aims to provide free primary, secondary and tertiary health services to all the eligible CAPF personnel and their dependents.

The initiative will leverage the strength of the existing framework under the Ayushman Bharat for providing health benefits to the central government employees.

"This initiative would serve the personnel from Assam Rifles, Border Security Force, Sashastra Seema Bal, Central Reserve Police Force, Central Industrial Security Force, National Security Guard, and Indo-Tibetan Border Police, and their dependents," a government official was quoted as saying.

Under the initiative, PMJAY's IT systems and network of empaneled hospitals will be extended to provide outdoor and indoor patient care to all eligible CAPF personnel and their dependents.

A pilot project is being carried out in Gurugram district of Haryana for all the forces in the initial phase of the convergence. Later, it will be expanded to the entire state.

According to the report, the PMJAY beneficiaries will be eligible for all secondary and tertiary packages under the PMJAY and CGHS hospitals respectively.