Pune: The Petrol Dealers Association (PDA), Pune, has launched a major drive to facilitate Ayushman Bharat health cards for petrol pump employees across the district. The initiative aims to cover approximately 13,000 workers in its first phase.The announcement was made during the association’s annual general meeting (AGM), where 11 Ayushman Bharat cards were symbolically distributed to mark the start of the campaign. Part of the Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), the scheme provides eligible families with an annual health insurance cover of up to Rs5 lakh.The event was attended by Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol, MP Shrirang Barne, and former Pune Mayor Manjushree Nagpure, alongside representatives from state and district petrol dealers’ associations.Association office-bearers stated that the initiative is designed to provide a safety net for petrol pump staff, many of whom fall into lower-income categories. The association currently represents around 900 petrol dealers across Pune district.Dhruv Ruparel, president, Petrol Dealers Association, Pune, said the body will work closely with individual dealers to identify eligible employees and streamline the registration process. “Our goal is to ensure that every eligible worker at our pumps has access to this vital government health insurance,” Ruparel said.
