Ayushman Bharat Card West Bengal: Apply, Eligibility & Download

The Ayushman Bharat Card is now available in West Bengal. The scheme went live on 16 August 2026 after the National Health Authority and the West Bengal government signed an MoU on 8 June 2026. Around 1.43 crore families are eligible for ₹5 lakh per year in free cashless hospital treatment. Check your eligibility and apply at beneficiary.nha.gov.in – registration is free.

Eligibility for the Ayushman Card in West Bengal

Eligibility is based on the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data. There is no income certificate to submit. The government uses the 2011 census records to identify eligible households. Simply matching these criteria today is not enough, your household must have been recorded as meeting them during the 2011 survey.

Rural Households

Rural families are eligible if they fall under any of these categories from the SECC 2011:

• Households living in a one room kutcha house
• Families with no adult male member between ages 16 – 59
• Female headed households with no adult male member
• Households with a disabled member and no other able-bodied adult
• SC/ST households
• Landless families dependent on manual casual labour
• Primitive tribal groups and legally released bonded labourers

Urban Households

Urban workers in these occupational groups qualify:

• Rag pickers, beggars, domestic workers
• Street vendors, cobblers, hawkers
• Construction labourers, plumbers, masons, painters, welders
• Sanitation workers, gardeners, sweepers
• Home-based workers, artisans, handicraft workers
• Transport workers, drivers, conductors, helpers, rickshaw pullers, cart pullers
• Electricians, mechanics, assemblers, repair workers
• Washermen and watchmen

Senior Citizens

All citizens aged 70 years and above are eligible for a separate ₹5 lakh annual cover under Ayushman Vay Vandana, regardless of income, SECC status, or family category. Only an Aadhaar card is required. See the dedicated section below for details.

How to Get Ayushman Bharat Card in West Bengal Online

If you are eligible for the Ayushman Bharat Card in West Bengal based on the above criteria, you need to complete your eKYC to get the card. There are three ways to complete the eKYC process.

Method 1: Online at beneficiary.nha.gov.in

1. Go to beneficiary.nha.gov.in and log in with your mobile number
2. Select West Bengal and your district, and then enter your aadhaar card number.
3. Find your name in the household records
4. Click “Do e-KYC” next to your name
5. Choose Aadhaar OTP as the verification method
6. Enter the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile number
7. After successful verification, click “Download Card”
8. Authenticate once more with OTP and save the PDF

Method 2: Via the Ayushman App

Download the official Ayushman App by the National Health Authority from the Google Play Store. Open the app, select Beneficiary (not Operator), log in with your mobile number, select West Bengal, locate your household record, and complete face authentication or Aadhaar OTP eKYC.

Method 3: At a CSC or Empanelled Hospital

Visit any Common Service Centre or the Ayushman Mitra help desk at an empanelled hospital. Carry your Aadhaar card and ration card. The operator will find your record and complete the eKYC process for you.

Registration is completely free. No one, not an agent, CSC operator, or hospital staff, can legally charge you for this. If anyone asks for money, refuse and call 14555 immediately.

Documents You Need

• Aadhaar card – required for eKYC; all family members need this for their individual card
• Mobile number linked to Aadhaar – for OTP verification
• Ration card (AAY or BPL preferred) – useful as an alternative search method if Aadhaar search does not return a result

You do not need a separate income certificate, caste certificate, or address proof if your household is already in the SECC 2011 database. The system identifies your record from the 2011 census.

Read this guide to apply for other states: Ayushman Card Apply Online – Registration, Documents & Eligibility

How to Download Your Ayushman Card

If your eKYC is already completed and your card status shows “Approved”:

1. Go to beneficiary.nha.gov.in
2. Log in with your registered mobile number and OTP
3. Select West Bengal and your district
4. Search for your name in your household record
5. Click “Download Card” next to your name
6. Verify with Aadhaar OTP once more
7. Save the PDF to your phone or print it

The card does not expire. There is no annual renewal. Coverage of ₹5 lakh resets each year automatically.

Find Ayushman Bharat Hospitals List in West Bengal

1. Go to hem.nha.gov.in
2. Select West Bengal as the state and your district from the drop down list.
3. Filter by hospital type (government or private) and medical specialty if needed
4. Click Search, the list shows all empanelled facilities with contact details

West Bengal hospitals are being onboarded progressively since the August 2026 launch. The list will grow over the coming months. Always call the hospital in advance to confirm they are currently accepting PM-JAY patients for your specific treatment before visiting.

One key advantage of PM-JAY over Swasthya Sathi: your Ayushman Bharat Card works at any of the 36,000+ empanelled hospitals across India. For the large population of Bengali migrant workers living in other states, this means cashless treatment wherever they are, not just in West Bengal.

Conclusion

The Ayushman Bharat Card West Bengal scheme is live now. If your household is in the SECC 2011 database, check your eligibility at beneficiary.nha.gov.in, complete your eKYC, and download the card, it takes a few minutes and costs nothing. If you are 70 or older, you qualify regardless of your economic category. Do not assume your Swasthya Sathi card transfers automatically check PM-JAY eligibility separately. For any difficulty, call the toll-free helpline at 14555, available 24×7.

FAQs