DW BUREAU / chandigarh Nearly 28 lakh families in Haryana will get benefits under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana after expansion of the scheme's scope by the state government to include more beneficiaries, according to an official statement. "In the year 2018, to provide better health facilities to the needy and the economically deprived sections in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Haryana is also ensuring that its benefits reach every verified eligible beneficiary as per the 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) data," it read. The Haryana government has started extending benefits of the scheme to needy families that do not feature in the 2011 SECC data, the statement said. The Manohar Lal Khattar-led government has increased the eligible annual income limit of BPL families for inclusion in the scheme from Rs 1.20 lakh to Rs 1.80 lakh, it added. "The financial liability for inclusion of these families will be borne by the state government," the statement said. As per the norms of the Centre, 15,51,798 families in Haryana were being covered under this scheme, but after the expansion of the scheme benefit, now 28 lakh families of the state will be benefited, it said.Free medical facilities of up to Rs 5 lakh will be provided to all these families under the scheme, the statement said. As per official data, 28,89,036 Ayushman Bharat cards have been made in Haryana. There are 715 hospitals empanelled under the scheme in the state ? 539 private and 176 government hospitals. So far, 5,51,480 claims have been filed under the scheme and claims worth more than Rs 580.77 crore settled, it said. 58.59 lakh metric tonne paddy procured Haryana's Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Tuesday said 58.59 lakh metric tonne paddy has been procured in the state during the current season, exceeding the target of 57 lakh MT. Chautala said that nearly 98 per cent of farmers have already received their paddy purchase payment amounting to Rs 11,819 crore directly into their bank accounts through DBT within 48 hours after the crop being procured and the balance will also be cleared this week. The deputy chief minister -- who also holds the charge of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department -- said although the target given by the Centre was 57 lakh metric tonnes of paddy procurement for the current season, the state government procured 58.59 lakh metric tonnes till November 14, a day before procurement process is completed. (editor@dailyworld.in)