Delhi Arogya Kosh: Eligibility & How to Apply [2026]

Overview

Delhi Arogya Kosh (DAK) is a Delhi government healthcare assistance program that provides eligible patients with up to ₹5 lakh for treatment at designated government hospitals. However, it is not health insurance, and approved funds are paid directly to the treating hospital.

Key Eligibility

Residency: Applicants should be bona fide residents of Delhi for the last 3 years.
Income Proof: Annual family income should be equal to or less than ₹3 lakh.

Covered Benefits

Treatment: Assistance may cover eligible illnesses, procedures, and medical interventions.
Surgeries and Diagnostics: Specified procedures and high-end tests may be referred to empaneled private facilities, subject to the availability of government hospitals and referral rules.
Emergency Care: Separate arrangements cover eligible road accident, acid attack, and burn victims in Delhi.

How to Apply

Get evaluated at an eligible government hospital, obtain a certified treatment estimate, and submit the form and required documents to the Patient Welfare Cell. Once approved, payment goes directly to the hospital.

Delhi has some of India's best government hospitals: AIIMS, Safdarjung, and GB Pant. Treatment there is heavily subsidized. And yet, families still abandon treatment midway. Why? Because "subsidized" isn't the same as "free."

Implants, high-end diagnostics, and specialized procedures still generate bills that low-income families simply cannot afford. This is where the Delhi Arogya Kosh (DAK) comes in, as the Delhi government's initiative to cover the financial gap.

In this guide, we'll cover what the Delhi Arogya Kosh scheme actually pays for, who's eligible, how to apply, which hospitals are empaneled, and whether you still need private health insurance.

What Is Delhi Arogya Kosh?

Delhi Arogya Kosh (DAK) is a registered society under the Delhi government’s health administration, not a health insurance company. Its core program provides financial assistance of up to ₹5 lakh to eligible patients receiving treatment for an illness or medical intervention at specified government hospitals.

Current Status: Delhi Arogya Kosh is still active, but its referral process was tightened in May 2026. Under the revised guidelines, authorities must first check whether free EWS beds are available at identified private hospitals before referring patients for planned surgeries. Imaging referrals are also allowed only when the required test is unavailable at a government hospital or cannot be provided within three days. In simple terms, private referrals are now meant to be a fallback option, not a parallel route running alongside government facilities.

Did You Know?

Delhi became the 35th State/Union Territory to implement Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY in April 2025. The rollout was announced with the central government’s ₹5 lakh family cover plus a Delhi-funded ₹5 lakh top-up, initially targeting around 6.54 lakh families. Ayushman Vay Vandana also covers every resident aged 70 or above, regardless of income. Delhi Arogya Kosh continues separately, with its own eligibility and approval process, and has not been merged into PM-JAY.

Eligibility Criteria for Delhi Arogya Kosh

Eligibility depends on which component of the scheme you're applying under.

₹5 Lakh Financial Assistance

Annual family income up to ₹3 lakh.
Bona fide Delhi resident for the last 3 years.
Undergoing or requiring treatment at a government hospital in the NCT (National Capital Territory) of Delhi (Delhi government, Central government, AIIMS, autonomous institute, or local body).

Free Surgeries and Diagnostics at Empaneled Private Hospitals

The income and residency criteria don't apply here.
Any bona fide Delhi resident, identified via Aadhaar, Voter ID, passport, driving license, an electoral roll extract, or a birth certificate (with a parent's ID for children under 5), can qualify.
But you must already be undergoing treatment at a GNCTD-run hospital, with a surgery date more than one calendar month after pre-anesthesia clearance. CABG referrals are accepted only from GIPMER (GB Pant Hospital).
Free diagnostics like ultrasound, Doppler, mammography, EEG, EMG, TMT, and ECHO are available at empaneled imaging centers to anyone treated at a GNCTD hospital or polyclinic
PET and radionuclide scans are restricted to seven hospitals.
Since May 2026, imaging referrals must first undergo a three-day unavailability check at government facilities.

Road Accident, Acid Attack, and Burn Victims

No income or residency requirement.
The incident just needs to have occurred within the NCT of Delhi.

Benefits and Coverage Under Delhi Arogya Kosh

Delhi Arogya Kosh is not restricted to a fixed list of critical illnesses.

The approval authority depends on the amount:

Up to ₹25,000: Approved at the DGHS level
Above ₹25,000 and up to ₹1.5 Lakh: Approved by DGHS after Finance Department clearance
Above ₹1.5 Lakh and up to ₹5 Lakh: Approved by the Chairman of DAK

The sanctioned amount is not paid to the patient. It is transferred directly to the treating government hospital through ECS.

DAK also supports specified surgeries and high-end diagnostic tests at empaneled private facilities, subject to the applicable referral, waiting-list, and package-rate rules.

Separately, it funds cashless emergency treatment for victims of road accidents, acid attacks, and thermal burns when the incident occurs within Delhi. Eligible registered private hospitals and nursing homes treat the patient and seek reimbursement through DAK.

CTA

How to Apply for Delhi Arogya Kosh?

The official DAK guidelines currently describe the application process as primarily offline and require completion through the concerned government hospital.

Visit a Delhi government hospital where the patient is receiving or will receive treatment, and consult the treating doctor.
Fill out the Delhi Arogya Kosh application form and gather the required supporting documents.
Ask the treating doctor to prepare the treatment estimate, diagnosis details, and medical recommendation. This estimate must be certified by the Medical Superintendent.
Submit the completed application and documents either:

At the Delhi Government Dispensary Building, S-1, 3rd Floor, School Block, Shakarpur, Delhi – 110092, or
In the office of the Medical Superintendent/Medical Director of the concerned government hospital.

After submission, the case goes through administrative scrutiny and approval. If sanctioned, the financial assistance is released directly to the treating government hospital.

Document	Requirement
Income Proof	National Food Security Card for income below ₹1 lakh, or an SDM-issued income certificate for income up to ₹3 lakh
Delhi-Residence Proof	Aadhaar, voter ID, ration card, passport, driving license, domicile certificate, or electoral-roll extract showing the preceding three years
Treatment Estimate	Original estimate prepared by the treating doctor and certified by the Medical Superintendent
Treatment Records	Photocopies of relevant medical records
Photographs	Two patient photographs attested by the treating doctor
Documents for Minors	Birth certificate and the Delhi-residence proof of either parent

Delhi Arogya Kosh Empaneled Hospital List

The Delhi Arogya Kosh hospital list is wide, though which facility applies depends on the benefit you're using.

Category	Coverage
General treatment and financial assistance	Available at 25 Delhi government hospitals
Attached polyclinics	Available through 23 attached polyclinics
Autonomous hospitals	Includes 5 GNCTD-run autonomous hospitals
PET and radionuclide scans	Available only at 7 designated hospitals

These seven hospitals are:

GB Pant Hospital
Lok Nayak Hospital
Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital
Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital
Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital
Janakpuri Super Specialty Hospital
Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital

Patients receiving treatment at another Delhi government hospital may be referred to one of these seven facilities for PET or radionuclide scans. Since the hospital list may change, check the official DGHS Delhi Arogya Kosh page for the latest details.

Delhi Arogya Kosh vs. Private Health Insurance: Do You Still Need Personal Cover?

Let’s understand why it still cannot replace private insurance:

Based on Approval

Applications move through multiple government approvals. The published guidelines do not promise a fixed processing or settlement timeline. Since DAK is not regulated as insurance, complaints cannot be taken to IRDAI or the Insurance Ombudsman.

Provider Choice Is Limited

The core assistance is tied to eligible government hospitals. Where private treatment or diagnostics are permitted, access is referral-based and subject to the relevant rules. Patients cannot freely choose any private hospital.

Eligibility Is Narrow

The current core guidelines require a National Food Security Card and at least 3 years of residence in Delhi. This may exclude many salaried households.

DAK Is Delhi-Specific

It does not provide nationwide portability. By contrast, AB PM-JAY beneficiaries can use their benefits at empaneled hospitals across India, whereas retail health policies generally provide broader geographic access, subject to their policy terms and hospital networks.

Rules Can Change

DAK eligibility, referral processes, and implementation conditions are set through government guidelines and administrative orders. Unlike an insurance policy, there is no contractual wording locked in for the policy term.

For eligible low-income families, DAK and AB PM-JAY can complement each other, but their benefit limits should not be treated as an automatic combined coverage. Also, income is not the only consideration: everyone aged 70 or above can qualify for AB PM-JAY irrespective of economic status.

Key Takeaway: Private insurance remains useful for broader hospital choice, better contractual benefits, nationwide access, and greater predictability. Public schemes can then serve as an additional safety net rather than the family’s only healthcare plan.

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Conclusion

Delhi Arogya Kosh remains one of the few real safety nets for low-income families needing treatment at Delhi's government hospitals.

If your family income is under ₹3 lakh, check your eligibility on the DGHS website and start your application through your treating hospital's Patient Welfare Cell.

If you're above that threshold, compare the best health insurance plans in India and get covered before you need it, not after.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Delhi Arogya Kosh enough, or should you still buy private health insurance?

For most people, DAK should supplement, not replace, private health insurance. It can help eligible patients receiving treatment through Delhi’s government hospital system, but access is approval-based, and provider choice is limited. A private policy offers defined contractual benefits, wider access to cashless hospital care, and broader geographic coverage, subject to its terms and exclusions.

Is Delhi Arogya Kosh the same as Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY in Delhi?

No. DAK is a Delhi government financial assistance mechanism, whereas Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY is a national health assurance scheme offering eligible families cashless hospitalization at empaneled hospitals. They have different eligibility conditions, approval processes, and provider networks. Both may help an eligible patient, but their benefit limits cannot be assumed to automatically combine into a single coverage.

Does Delhi Arogya Kosh work like health insurance, or is it a one-time financial aid fund?

DAK does not work like a health insurance policy. There is no premium, policy contract, or annually renewable sum insured. Instead, the patient submits an application, which is considered through prescribed government approvals. The official guidelines frame the support as case-specific financial assistance paid to the treating hospital, rather than a guaranteed insurance claim or fixed cash grant.

Does Delhi Arogya Kosh cover emergency cases like road accidents or burn injuries?

Yes, but this sits under a separate medico-legal emergency arrangement rather than the core ₹5 lakh assistance. Victims of road accidents, acid attacks, and thermal burns occurring in Delhi may receive cashless emergency treatment at eligible private facilities, subject to current rules. Since the framework has changed over time, confirm the latest limits and the list of empaneled hospitals.

How long does it take to get financial assistance approved under Delhi Arogya Kosh?

The official DAK guidelines do not prescribe a fixed approval timeline. A complete application is first examined by the Directorate of Health Services and then moves through the required administrative and financial approvals. Processing time can vary depending on the requested amount, the required documentation, and the scrutiny involved, so applicants should follow up with the Patient Welfare Cell.

Is the Delhi Arogya Kosh money paid directly to the patient or to the hospital?

The money is paid to the treating government hospital, not to the patient’s personal bank account. The published DAK guidelines state that after all approvals are obtained, payment is issued to the concerned hospital, and the applicant is informed separately. Applicants should confirm the current transfer method with the Patient Welfare Cell when submitting their documents.

What documents are needed to prove income for a Delhi Arogya Kosh application?

For a Delhi Arogya Kosh application, income can be proved using a National Food Security Card if annual family income is below ₹1 lakh, or an SDM-issued income certificate if income is up to ₹3 lakh. Applicants must also provide accepted proof of Delhi residence covering the three years immediately preceding the application.

Last updated on: 19 Jul, 2026