The Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), launched 2018, provides annual health cover of ₹5 lakhs to approximately how many beneficiary families, and primarily targets which population segment?

• A 10 crore families; BPL households (below poverty line) only
• B 50 crore individuals; all Indians below the income tax threshold
• C 5 crore families; women and children under age 18 years in rural India
• D 10.74 crore families; bottom 40% socio-economically vulnerable households identified from SECC 2011 ✓

Explanation

AB-PMJAY covers approximately 10.74 crore (107.4 million) families — identified using the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data — representing the bottom 40% of the population by socioeconomic vulnerability. The scheme provides ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation. Beneficiary identification is not restricted to strict BPL; it uses SECC deprivation and occupational criteria, thus covering a broader vulnerable population. This is the world's largest government-funded health insurance programme.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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