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Vaya Vandana Yojana
Delhi govt launches Vaya Vandana Yojana
Context: The Delhi Government, in collaboration with the Central Government, launched the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY) on 28 April 2025, offering health insurance coverage to senior citizens aged 70 and above.
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- The scheme was officially launched at a public event held at Thyagraj Stadium, where Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri distributed the first batch of 38 Ayushman Cards to beneficiaries.
- Officials emphasised that the scheme would greatly assist senior citizens, particularly since private insurance companies often do not cover pre-existing conditions, leaving many elderly citizens without necessary healthcare services.
Key Features
- Eligibility Criteria: Any Delhi resident aged 70 or above, holding an Aadhaar card and proof of residence, is eligible. No income certificate is required.
- Health Coverage: Each cardholder receives ₹10 lakh annual health coverage—₹5 lakh under the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat scheme and an additional ₹5 lakh as a top-up from the Delhi government.
- Notably, the ₹10 lakh coverage is per individual and not shared among family members, even if multiple seniors reside in the same household.
- Hospital Network: As per the National Health Authority (NHA) dashboard, 93 hospitals (both public and private) are empanelled under the scheme.
- Card Benefits: The card contains health records, medication details, and treatment history.
- Beneficiaries can access treatment for 1,961 procedures across 27 specialities, covering hospitalisation, ICU care, diagnostics, medicines, and surgeries, at nearly 100 empanelled public and private hospitals.
- Application Process: Senior citizens can apply through the Ayushman portal, community health centres (CHCs), government dispensaries, or sub-divisional magistrate offices.
Background and Future Prospects
- The move comes after Delhi signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Union Health Ministry earlier this month — one on April 5 for the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and another on April 10 for the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM). With this, Delhi became the 35th state or Union territory to adopt the scheme.
- Till November 2024, Ayushman Bharat coverage was based on income eligibility. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement extended health insurance coverage to all citizens aged 70 and above, irrespective of income status.
