JAMMU: Minister for Health & Medical Education, Bali Bhagat informed that the government would cover all the districts of the state under prestigious Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY).
“With the implementation of the scheme in the remaining districts, the BPL families and senior citizens would also be able to avail the benefit of health insurance scheme,” the Minister informed, adding the scheme was initially launched by Government of India in two districts including Jammu and Srinagar in December 2011 on pilot basis.
The Minister was speaking during a meeting convened to review the implementation of the scheme here.
He informed that the scheme was subsequently extended to ten more districts, five each in Kashmir and Jammu divisions. Later, the Government of India accorded approval for implementation of the scheme in all 22 districts of the State, he added.
The main objective of the scheme is to provide protection to the BPL families from the financial liabilities arising out of health ailments that involve hospitalization and other expenses.
Under the Yojana, the BPL families comprising five members shall be entitled to cashless hospitalization upto Rs. 30,000 per family per financial year. For senior citizens of these families, an additional coverage of Rs. 30,000 per senior citizen in the eligible family under Senior Citizens Health Insurance Scheme will also be available.
The Minister directed the Principal Secretary, Health & Medical Education to take immediate measures for speedy implementation of this important scheme to give succor to the poor families. He also called for arranging 10 per cent share of the state government for the premium amount as rest of 90 per cent share will be borne by the central government.
This scheme would provide free of cost healthcare benefits in any public or private hospital across the country thus providing direct cash to the beneficiaries. Under the scheme, the Smart Card based on biometric technology system will be issued to the family to avoid any chance of duplication of service.
Principal Secretary Health & Medical Education, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, while informing about the latest status of the scheme, informed that there are about 6.70 lakh BPL families eligible under the scheme which will be registered under the scheme soon.
Among others present in the meeting included, Principal GMC, Jammu, Dr. Sunanda Raina, Director Family Welfare, J&K, Dr. Sameer Mattoo, Project Director, J&K AIDS Control Society, Dr. Mushtaq Ahmed Rather, Joint Director Planning, Madan Lal Bhagat and representatives of Government of India.
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