The Jammu and Kashmir administration on July 17 set a target of issuing 'golden cards' to 55 per cent of the eligible people under the Ayushman Bharat scheme by the end of August this year, an official spokesperson said.

The beneficiary of the government health scheme have to produce the 'golden card' at hospitals to avail benefits. State Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam on July 17 chaired a meeting of deputy commissioners and chief medical officers over a video conference and announced the new target of issuing 'golden cards' to 55 per cent of the 6.30 lakh eligible persons in the state by August 31, 2019, the spokesperson said.

"At present 37 per cent eligible individuals have been issued 'golden cards' and 25,000 of these beneficiaries have already availed benefits of free medical treatment under the scheme in various government and private hospitals," he said. Subrahmanyam also directed the officials to ensure that all eligible individuals who go to the empanelled hospitals for medical treatment avail the benefits of free treatment under the scheme, the spokesperson said.

Ayushman Bharat provides an annual health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family. There are 6.30 lakh poor and vulnerable families entitled for health cover under the Ayushman Bharat scheme in the state as per the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC). Under the scheme, patients can get free treatment in the empanelled government or private hospitals. As many as 127 government and private hospitals are empanelled under the scheme in the state.