The North News
Chandigarh, July 10
The Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, on Thursday approved the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna — a first-of-its-kind scheme in the country to provide cashless medical treatment worth Rs 10 lakh to residents of the state. A decision to this effect was taken during a meeting of the Council of Ministers held under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister at his official residence.
Disclosing this today, a spokesperson from the Chief Minister’s Office said the scheme will be rolled out on October 2, providing significant relief to the people of Punjab. Under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna, every family in the state will now be eligible for cashless treatment of up to ₹10 lakh. With this, Punjab has become the first state in India where every household is entitled to such comprehensive healthcare coverage.
The scheme will benefit the entire population of three crore residents and more than 550 private hospitals have been empaneled for the scheme so far and the number will be enhanced to 1000 in coming days. Previously, a family could avail of treatment only up to ₹5 lakh; this limit has now been enhanced to ₹10 lakh. By launching this initiative, Punjab has set a new benchmark for the rest of the country, becoming the first state to offer free healthcare, education, electricity, and bus travel to its citizens.
Following the principle of Sarbat da Bhala (welfare of all), as advocated by the great Gurus, the Punjab Government is taking inclusive steps to ensure the well-being of every section of society. Under this scheme, every citizen of Punjab — including government employees and pensioners — will be entitled to free healthcare, regardless of income level. Previously, only select families qualified for benefits under income-based criteria, but now the scheme covers all residents.
Health cards under the scheme will be issued at Seva Kendras or Common Service Centers (CSCs). Additionally, citizens can register online using their Aadhaar card or Voter ID to obtain a health card. Treatment under the scheme will be available at all government hospitals and empanelled private hospitals and no resident of Punjab will now have to forgo medical treatment due to financial constraints.
Relief to investors
In a separate decision, the Punjab Cabinet announced a revision in the implementation timeline of charges applicable under the Popular Act and Mega Project Policy, addressing concerns raised by investors and developers.
Previously, charges such as CLU (Change of Land Use), EDC (External Development Charges), and LF (License Fee) were notified for all new real estate projects and extensions from April 1, 2025, as per a government notification issued on June 4, 2025.
However, the Cabinet has now decided that the notification will be applicable only from June 4, 2025 onwards, meaning that projects submitted up to that date will follow the old fee structure, while applications submitted after will be subject to the new rates.
The move is expected to provide financial clarity and procedural relief to real estate investors and developers across Punjab, who had flagged the earlier timeline as impractical and disruptive to ongoing projects.
