The Asian Development Bank has released the first tranche of a $108 million loan to support Mizoram’s Universal Healthcare Scheme, with the state receiving Rs 205.49 crore, officials said on Saturday. The ADB released $21.6 million to the Union Ministry of Finance on October 29 after Mizoram achieved two Disbursement Linked Indicators under the programme. The ministry then transferred Rs 205.4858 crore to the state account on November 5.
Of the amount received, Rs 20.54 crore, or 10 per cent, will be treated as a loan, while Rs 184.93 crore, or 90 per cent, will come to Mizoram as a grant. The entire amount will be parked in the Healthcare Corpus Fund to strengthen the financial sustainability of the scheme, the Finance Department said.
The state government is targeting the achievement of at least three Disbursement Linked Indicators during the current financial year and plans to draw and utilise around Rs 130 crore under the programme. The matter was also discussed at a tripartite review meeting in Chandigarh earlier this month involving the state Finance Department, the Department of Economic Affairs and ADB officials.
Mizoram signed the $108 million ADB loan agreement on January 23 this year, and the project became effective from April 1 after visits and consultations by the ADB team. Under the externally aided project, the Centre will provide 90 per cent of the loan amount to Mizoram as a grant, while the state will repay the remaining 10 per cent to the Centre as a soft loan.
The project was originally proposed in 2022 during the Mizo National Front government headed by Zoramthanga to strengthen the corpus fund of the state’s healthcare scheme. It was later revived by the present Zoram People’s Movement government under the title “Supporting Public Health Care System Strengthening to Achieve Universal Health Care for Mizoram.” The ADB board approved the loan on December 5 last year, following negotiations in October that year.
The Mizoram Universal Healthcare Scheme was launched in March 2025 and became operational the following month, providing cashless treatment coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh to eligible beneficiaries at government hospitals and empanelled private and church-run hospitals in and outside Mizoram. Government employees, including provisional and muster-roll employees, must pay a monthly contribution ranging from Rs 200 to Rs 1,500, depending on their pay scales, to avail themselves of unlimited health cover.
Pensioners and their spouses can avail themselves of coverage of up to Rs 24 lakh per financial year on surrendering their fixed medical allowance of Rs 1,000 per month, which serves as the baseline subscription fee. Beneficiaries or golden card holders under the Centre’s AB PM-JAY scheme need not pay enrolment fees under the state scheme.
The government has said strengthening the healthcare corpus through the ADB-supported project would help reduce its recurring expenditure on healthcare premiums and claims and ensure the long-term sustainability of the scheme.
Original Source: https://nenow.in/north-east-news/mizoram/adb-releases-first-tranche-of-108-million-loan-for-mizorams-healthcare-scheme.html
Category: Mizoram,Northeast News,Top News
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Publish Date: 2026-11-08 11:15:00
