Asian Development Bank releases $21.6 million first tranche of $108 million loan for Mizoram's Universal Healthcare Scheme

Key facts

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) released $21.6 million, the first tranche of its $108 million loan, to the Union Ministry of Finance on October 29 after Mizoram achieved two Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs).
• The Ministry transferred ₹205.4858 crore to the Mizoram state account on November 5; ₹184.93 crore (90%) will come as a grant and ₹20.54 crore (10%) as a loan, with the entire amount parked in the Healthcare Corpus Fund.
• Mizoram signed the $108 million ADB loan agreement on January 23, 2026; the project became effective from April 1, and the loan was approved by the ADB board on December 5 last year.
• The project, originally proposed in 2022 under the Mizo National Front government, was revived by the Zoram People's Movement government as "Supporting Public Health Care System Strengthening to Achieve Universal Health Care for Mizoram".
• Mizoram's Universal Healthcare Scheme (MUHCS) was launched in March 2025, providing cashless treatment coverage of up to ₹5 lakh at government and empanelled private and church-run hospitals in and outside Mizoram.
• Government employees pay a monthly contribution of ₹200 to ₹1,500 for unlimited health cover, while pensioners and spouses can get up to ₹24 lakh cover per financial year on surrendering their ₹1,000 monthly fixed medical allowance; AB PM-JAY golden card holders need not pay enrollment fees.
• The state government targets achieving at least three DLIs in the current financial year and plans to utilise around ₹130 crore under the programme.