PM Modi Unveils Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card for Free Healthcare to Seniors Above 70

Along with the Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card, PM Modi also announced the nationwide rollout of the U-WIN portal, a digital vaccination platform for pregnant women and children.

PM Modi has unveiled the most anticipated Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).

This card, like the Ayushman card, will offer free annual healthcare coverage of up to INR 5 Lakh, however, this special card is only meant for citizens aged 70 and above, regardless of income or economic background.

This move by the Modi Government aims to make essential healthcare accessible for elderly citizens, addressing a significant demographic need.

“This card ensures that elderly citizens are free from the burden of high medical costs and can live with dignity,” PM Modi stated at the launch event.

PM Modi, in his speech. highlighted that the scheme has already benefited over 4 Cr people, with senior citizens now included in the initiative to strengthen universal health access in India.

Newly Launched Coverage for Elderly Citizens

The Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card provides INR 5 Lakh of annual health coverage per family, reserved for members aged 70 or older.

In households with multiple eligible seniors, the coverage is shared among them. All applicants, including those with existing Ayushman cards, must register through the PM-JAY portal or the Ayushman app and complete the eKYC to activate the new card.

Reportedly, this expansion is set to cost INR 3,437 Cr over the current and next fiscal year.

Moreover, experts note that extending health insurance to all citizens above 70 is more costly than covering the poorest 40% across all ages; however, the government views it as a necessary investment given India’s aging population.

The scheme comes as India faces rapid population aging. Data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) indicates that 8.6% of the population was over 60 in 2011, a figure expected to rise to 19.5% by 2050—roughly 319 million elderly citizens, compared to 103 million in 2011.

As per reports, the new scheme will support nearly 6 Cr individuals from 4.5 Cr households, including 1.78 Cr current AB PM-JAY beneficiaries.

Around 80 Lakh people covered by government health schemes, such as the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) and Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), can choose between existing benefits and Ayushman Bharat. Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) members remain eligible for both ESIC and Ayushman Bharat coverage. Those with private insurance can also apply, gaining an added health coverage layer.

Launch of U-WIN Portal

Along with the Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card, PM Modi also announced the nationwide rollout of the U-WIN portal, a digital vaccination platform for pregnant women and children.

Supporting 2.9 Cr pregnant women and 2.6 crore children annually, U-WIN will digitalize the vaccination process as part of the Ministry of Health’s Universal Immunization Programme (UIP).

This platform is designed to ensure on-time vaccination against 12 preventable diseases, creating secure digital identities and enabling efficient monitoring of immunization schedules.

In addition, PM Modi launched “Desh Ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyan,” a public health awareness campaign involving 470,000 volunteers, aimed at boosting health awareness and setting multiple Guinness World Records.

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