India

Opposition Leader Calls for Reversal of NoRKA Care Premium Hike

By The Hindu Bureau

Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan urged the Kerala government to act immediately to address concerns of the expatriate community over the sharp rise in the premium for the ‘NoRKA Care’ insurance scheme. In a social media post, he said the United Democratic Front government has adopted a policy that removes existing support for expatriates already struggling with the crisis caused by the war‑like situation in West Asia. He added that the government has refused to allow a discussion on the issue in the Legislative Assembly and maintains a negative stance, despite unanimous demands from various expatriate organisations. The premium for a family floater policy (coverage of ₹5 lakh) has increased from ₹13,411 to a range between ₹35,664 and ₹77,773. This steep rise has become an unbearable financial burden for ordinary expatriates in the Gulf, who often earn meagre wages, as well as for senior citizens who have returned home. “The government justifies this by claiming that insurance companies are unwilling to continue the previous agreement due to the high value of claims filed. The previous government had included a provision in the NoRKA Care scheme that allowed even those with existing medical conditions to enrol. By labelling this specific provision, which provided immense relief to struggling, low‑income expatriates and their families, as the root of the problem, the government is effectively echoing the language of private insurance companies,” said Mr. Vijayan. He said that instead of negotiating with the companies to ensure quality service for beneficiaries, the government has surrendered to the interests of the insurance firms. The hike in premium rates, which is unaffordable to large sections, could jeopardise the entire scheme. He urged the government to consider the reasonable demand to revise the rates downward. Published – November 01, 2026 07:59 pm IST