Sat Feb 01 18:19:20 UTC 2025: ## India’s Budget 2025 Extends Health Insurance to Millions of Gig Workers
**New Delhi, [Date]** – India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a landmark expansion of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) health insurance scheme in Budget 2025. Millions of gig workers will now be eligible for the program, receiving crucial healthcare coverage previously unavailable to them.
AB-PMJAY, the world’s largest health insurance scheme, provides free treatment up to ₹5 lakh (approximately $60,000 USD) per year per family. This expansion follows recommendations from the National Health Authority (NHA) and aligns with the National Health Policy 2017’s goal of universal health coverage.
Gig workers, individuals engaged in short-term, flexible jobs such as driving, delivery services, and freelancing, represent a rapidly growing sector of the Indian workforce. Estimates project that gig workers will comprise around 4.1% of India’s total workforce, or approximately 235 million people, by 2030. This inclusion in AB-PMJAY will provide a significant safety net for this vulnerable population, many of whom lack traditional employment benefits including health insurance.
The scheme, launched in 2018, initially covered 107.4 million families and has since expanded to cover 147.4 million families, benefiting nearly 700 million people. The addition of gig workers marks a significant step towards achieving the government’s objective of universal healthcare access for all Indian citizens.
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