Niramaya is a health insurance scheme that provides financial reimbursements even for medical bills and outpatient consultation. However, from 2023 onward, the state government has stopped paying the premium and hence the parents were forced to pay from their own resources. The scheme reimburses an amount up to Rs 1 lakh for a payment of Rs 300 for BPL card holders and Rs 500 for APL card holders.

K M George, who coordinates the activities of various organisations that represent differently-abled children, special educators and parents in the state, pointed out that by stopping the funding of the state government towards Niramaya, about 1,20,000 special kids were affected as they have to pay the insurance from their pocket. Kerala is the state which has included the most number of people in the Niramaya scheme. He added that the state government had allocated a fund of Rs 54 crore for Aswasakiranam scheme in the 2023 budget alone. But only Rs 15 crore was disbursed.

Rosamma pointed out that in states like Gujarat, where she lived for about six years, one of the parents of the special kid who had the necessary minimum education would get a job in government schools through which the family would be financially secure. “We are not asking for such consideration, but at least the government could keep doing what they did for us all these years. Why cut down the benefits for the differently-abled children and their families, when it boasts about better social indexes?” she asked.

Raising various issues relating to special schools and their children, a coordination committee of various organisations had conducted a protest in front of the Secretariat on September 11. Though the government assured to consider the demands including relaxations in certain norms regarding special schools and educators, no steps were taken. Three months’ payment under Aswasakiranam was received on September 6, soon after the parents announced the protest. However, nothing happened after the discussions. “Our children cannot demand their rights and hence we have to raise our voice on behalf of them,” added Rosamma.