India Issues Over 93 Lakh Ayushman Vay Vandana Cards for Senior Citizens

This initiative is part of the Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), the country’s flagship health assurance scheme.

The Government of India has issued more than 93 lakh Ayushman Vay Vandana cards across states and Union Territories, extending free health coverage of Rs 5 lakh annually to all citizens aged 70 years and above.

This initiative is part of the Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), the country’s flagship health assurance scheme.

Under the expanded AB-PMJAY framework, senior citizens can access secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation benefits regardless of socio-economic status. The scheme, which originally targeted economically vulnerable families in the bottom 40 percent of the population, now aims to provide universal coverage for the elderly.

As per data shared in Parliament, as of October 31, 2025, 7.89 lakh hospital admissions were authorised under the Ayushman Vay Vandana category, amounting to healthcare services valued at Rs 1,741 crore across implementing states and Union Territories.

The AB-PMJAY scheme currently covers approximately 12 crore families, with no restrictions on family size and inclusive of all members irrespective of age or gender. The Ayushman Vay Vandana extension is expected to benefit an estimated 6 crore senior citizens from around 4.5 crore families nationwide.

The programme continues to evolve through the inclusion of additional medical procedures, empanelment of new hospitals, and periodic operational improvements aimed at meeting the healthcare needs of an ageing population.

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav, shared the updates in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, highlighting the adoption and utilisation of the scheme across the country.

The rollout of Ayushman Vay Vandana marks a significant step in expanding access to affordable healthcare for India’s elderly population, aligning with broader efforts under the AB-PMJAY to strengthen universal health coverage.

Stay tuned for more such updates on Digital Health News