More than 86.51 lakh senior citizens aged 70 and above have been provided Ayushman Vay Vandana (VVS) cards in the first year since the scheme’s launch, offering them access to quality healthcare, the government said on Saturday.
Launched in October 2024, the Ayushman Vay Vandana Scheme provides free healthcare benefits of up to Rs5 lakh per year to all Indian citizens above 70 years of age, regardless of income or social category.
The scheme is an extension of the flagship Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), which offers up to Rs 5 lakh per family annually for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to economically weaker sections. AB-PMJAY is one of the key pillars of the broader Ayushman Bharat initiative, launched in 2018, which aims to make healthcare affordable and accessible, particularly in rural and underserved areas, benefiting over 12 crore vulnerable families.
According to the government, as of October 28, 2025, more than 42 crore Ayushman cards have been issued to AB-PMJAY beneficiaries, and over 86 lakh senior citizens have enrolled in the Ayushman Vay Vandana Scheme.
The Ayushman Bharat program also includes other important initiatives such as Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs (AAM), Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), and PM-ABHIM focusing on strengthening public health infrastructure and pandemic preparedness across the country.
The government emphasized that these initiatives collectively aim to provide affordable, high-quality, and comprehensive healthcare, ensuring universal health coverage.
“Universal health coverage ensures that everyone, including the most vulnerable, can access quality healthcare affordably, enabling them to live healthy and fulfilling lives,” the statement added.
