India, April 20 -- As Punjab battles a rising cancer death toll, the state's Mukhya Mantri Sehat Yojna is providing a financial lifeline for families, covering expensive, life-saving oncology treatments that many residents can no longer afford.

Baljit Kaur, a 65-year-old resident of Patiala, successfully completed an intensive cancer treatment regimen, including surgery and chemotherapy, through the Punjab government's state health scheme. Her son, Gurpinder Jeet Singh, a local driver, reported that the scheme covered nearly all of the estimated Rs.8 to Rs.10 lakh in medical expenses, which otherwise would have been unaffordable for the family.

The scheme provided cashless treatment, allowing Baljit Kaur to undergo 12 chemotherapy sessi...