Chandigarh: Patiala has emerged as the leading district in Punjab under the Chief Minister Health Scheme, recording the highest number of beneficiaries and expenditure among all districts, according to the latest data released by the State Health Agency (SHA), Punjab.
As of June 23, more than 4.43 lakh patients have availed themselves of cashless treatment under the scheme across the state, with the government spending over ₹782.79 crore on healthcare services.
The Chief Minister Health Scheme provides cashless treatment at government and empanelled private hospitals and has become one of Punjab’s flagship healthcare initiatives aimed at reducing the financial burden of medical treatment on citizens.
Official figures show that Patiala leads the state with 52,672 beneficiaries, for whom treatment worth nearly ₹79.15 crore has been provided. Bathinda follows with 30,813 beneficiaries and an expenditure of ₹76.81 crore, while Ludhiana has recorded 44,227 beneficiaries, with treatment costing ₹60.54 crore.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh said the scheme has provided significant relief to families by protecting them from high medical expenses.
“The Chief Minister Health Scheme is not just a government policy but a lifeline for thousands of families. Our goal is to ensure that no family in Punjab is pushed into debt because of the cost of medical treatment,” the minister said.
The scheme has also recorded strong participation in other districts, including Jalandhar (27,682 beneficiaries), Amritsar (20,503) and SAS Nagar (Mohali) (20,085). Smaller districts such as Kapurthala (9,384) and Malerkotla (3,181) have also witnessed a steady rise in enrolment and utilization.
According to the State Health Agency, a total of 443,906 patients have benefited from the scheme across Punjab, with cumulative expenditure reaching ₹782.79 crore.
Residents from rural areas have also welcomed the initiative. Gurmeet Singh, a 62-year-old farmer from Mansa, said the scheme saved him from selling his land to meet the cost of treatment.
Officials said the growing number of beneficiaries in districts including Sangrur, Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur and Rupnagar reflects increasing public awareness and the expanding network of empanelled hospitals under the scheme.
