Sri Vijaya Puram, Jan. 28: The Andaman & Nicobar Islands has been awarded as the Best Union Territory/State under the category ‘Treatment of Beneficiaries – Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)’ during the Chintan Shivir held from Jan. 19 to 20, 2026 at Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The award was conferred during the two-day Chintan Shivir organized by the National Health Authority (NHA) and was presented by Smti. Anu Garg, Chief Secretary, Odisha, in recognition of the Union Territory’s outstanding performance and effective implementation of the AB-PMJAY scheme.
The Union Territory was particularly recognized for its focused initiatives aimed at reducing the financial burden on beneficiaries by providing transport assistance and wage-loss compensation, thereby significantly reducing out-of-pocket expenditure, especially for patients referred to empaneled mainland hospitals under portability cases.
To mitigate the hardships faced by beneficiaries undergoing treatment outside the Islands, the UT Administration of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, through the State Health Agency (SHA), has implemented a structured Transport and Wage Loss Compensation mechanism under AB-PMJAY. Under this initiative, beneficiaries are provided transport assistance of up to Rs.40,000 per referral and wage-loss support at the rate of Rs.1,000 per day for a maximum period of 20 days, subject to prescribed guidelines, with the expenditure met from funds earmarked by the UT Administration.
The Transport and Wage Loss Compensation scheme has been in operation since the year 2020. From its inception till date, a total of 1,659 claims have been received and settled, with an expenditure of Rs.2.78 crore incurred by the UT Administration. This sustained financial support has played a significant role in reducing out-of-pocket expenditure and ensuring timely access to quality healthcare services for beneficiaries referred to empanelled mainland hospitals.