Free Healthcare for Seniors: Kejriwal Announce Sanjeevani Yojana

Arvind Kejriwal is the Chief Minister of Delhi and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader. He has announced an ambitious promise for free healthcare. This promise is for all senior citizens above the age of 60 in the national capital. Termed the Sanjeevani Yojana, this scheme will ensure that elders receive free medical treatment at private hospitals. It also covers treatment at government hospitals. There are no financial caps or economic eligibility requirements.

Arvind Kejriwal made the announcement ahead of the 2025 assembly elections. He declared that the AAP government would bear all treatment costs under the scheme if re-elected. Registration for the scheme will begin soon. Volunteers will conduct door-to-door enrollment. They will provide eligible citizens with health cards.

“You don’t have to go anywhere for registration. Our volunteers will come to your home and give you a card,” Kejriwal explained. However, the scheme will only be implemented if AAP retains power in the upcoming elections.

Kejriwal emphasized the significance of this initiative, addressing concerns of neglect often faced by elders. “Your son will take care of you at this age,” he stated, likening the government to a supportive child for the city’s older population. He described the scheme as a groundbreaking initiative in India’s history. It aims to honor the contributions of older citizens to their families and the nation.

The announcement follows another major promise from AAP just days earlier, where the party pledged a monthly allowance of Rs. 2,100 for every woman in Delhi if re-elected.

Kejriwal also highlighted the success of his government’s Mukhya Mantri Teerth Yatra Yojana, under which over one lakh older citizens have benefitted from fully-funded pilgrimage trips.

With Delhi’s assembly elections around the corner, AAP is banking on these welfare schemes to secure another term. The current assembly’s tenure ends in February 2025, and the city is gearing up for a high-stakes electoral battle.