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Published: June 17 , 2025 02:29 PM IST
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Thiruvananthapuram: Vayo Vandana Yojana, a health insurance scheme for senior citizens in India, has been stalled in Kerala. The scheme allows medical coverage up to Rs 5 lakh per year for senior citizens over 70. However, Kerala has decided to stall this scheme until the premium is hiked. This would jeopardise the medical insurance coverage of over 26 lakh senior citizens in Kerala.
Kerala states that the yearly premium of Vayo Vandana Yojana should be set at Rs 3250. The centre should also pay 60 per cent of this premium amount. Meanwhile, the centre demands to provide Vayo Vandana Yojana at a premium rate of Rs 1052, the rate at which Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi (KASP) is provided in the state.
Kerala has been urging the Centre to hike the premium rate since the first round of discussions. The Centre replied that the demand would be considered. Although the state government wrote multiple times demanding the hike, the Centre hasn’t responded yet. Vayo Vandana Yojana, which was announced in the first quarter of last year, was officially launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 29.
Meanwhile, Kerala has focused only on the KASP project, which provides free medical treatment. Under the KASP scheme, socially and economically backwards senior citizens over 70 get medical insurance coverage. Besides, the Karunya Benevolent Fund (KBF) will provide monetary assistance of up to Rs 2 lakh to families with an annual income of below Rs 3 lakh. So, Kerala has decided not to take on an additional financial burden for providing medical insurance for financially well–off senior citizens.
Vayo Vandana Yojana
This scheme provides medical insurance of up to Rs 5 lakh for all senior citizens over 70, irrespective of their financial status. The age noted in the Aadhar card would be considered for the scheme. Those who have already purchased other medical insurances from the state and central governments would be given a one-time option to choose either their current scheme or switch to Vayo Vandana Yojana.
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