The increase in insurance premium for Non-Resident Keralites is the next big issue that the LDF has picked up to batter the UDF government with. The issue was first raised as an adjournment motion in the Assembly on October 29 by CPI's Kaipamangalam MLA KK Valsaraj.

On that very day, the Pravasi Federation affiliated to the CPI had taken out a Secretariat march against what it termed the State Government's "indifference" towards Non-Resident Keralites. Today, CPM Rajya Sabha MP V Sivadasan urged the UDF government to withdraw the increase in premium.

A couple of hours later, Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan, too, came out against the government. "It is unfortunate that the State Government has refused to revise its decision to steeply increase the premium of Norka Care Insurance premium. The UDF government's decision has come at a time when non-resident Keralites are reeling under the consequences of the West Asia war," Pinarayi said in a Facebook post.

The insurance for NORKA Care's ₹5 lakh Family Floater Policy, which combines Group Medical Insurance and Group Personal Accident, has been increased to ₹21,960 from ₹13,411 in one go. Premiums of older beneficiaries have gone up even further. For those in the 51-60 age bracket, it is now ₹35,640. For the 61-70 age bracket, it is ₹44,718, and for the 71-80 bracket, it is now ₹77,773.

Pinarayi recalled how his government had made the insurance scheme more welfare-oriented. "The LDF government had included those with existing illnesses in the insurance scheme. The UDF government now says that it was this decision, which was of great relief to non-resident families, that had precipitated the crisis," the former Chief Minister said, and added: "Clearly, this is the language of the private companies. Instead of negotiating a better deal for beneficiaries, the government is now surrendering before their interests. The government should reduce the premium and restructure the insurance scheme," he said.

Chief Minister VD Sastheesan termed the benefit provided by LDF a "structural mistake". "The premium charged covered existing illnesses, too. Normally, a person already in the grip of a disease is not included in an insurance scheme. This caused a huge outgo as claim," he told the Assembly on October 29.

"The share NORKA Care had collected was ₹145 crore. But the claims that had to be paid came up to ₹210 crore," he said. There were 1.3 lakh members in the NORKA Care scheme, and the CM said that nearly 80 per cent of claims were from cancer patients, that too from beneficiaries between the ages of 40 and 70. "This alone was ₹120 crore," he said.

Further, the CM said that the insurance company had to pay an excess of 160 and 350 per cent for Norka Care and Norka Care Plus schemes, respectively. "As a result, no companies were willing to submit a new quotation. Last year it was New India Insurance. This time, when the company was asked for a quote, it wanted the government to pay it ₹300 crore in advance. We did not accept it," Satheesan said.

The upshot was that the insurance scheme was altered. Now there are various slabs from ₹3 lakh to ₹100 lakh. If earlier only those within 18-70 could join, the new scheme will enrol those within 18 to 110 years of age.

"That is why we have increased the premium. If we had not increased the premium, no insurance company would come, and the insurance cover would have ceased to exist," the Chief Minister said.

There are over 1.32 lakh Non-Resident Keralite families under NORKA Care. Over 5 lakh family members, therefore, are covered under the scheme. NORKA Care Plus has 95,580 families. Put together, 2,27,614 Non-Resident Keralite families are paying the premium.