BPL health scheme to be extended to more unorganized workers

NEW DELHI: The government on Thursday reviewed the implementation of Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), the scheme launched five years ago to ensure health insurance for families living below the poverty line, saying that it will be extended to several segments of unorganized workers. 

After a meeting of the Union Cabinet, the government said that the scheme has already been extended to some segments of unorganized workers like MNREGA beneficiaries, street vendors, domestic helps, beedi workers and those working in building and construction sites.  The scheme, which is said to have been appreciated by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Bank, was launched on October 1, 2007, as health insurance scheme for families living below the poverty line. Under the scheme, beneficiaries are entitled to smart card-based cashless health insurance cover of Rs 30,000 per family per annum on a family floater basis.  The Central government contributes 75% of the annual premium of the scheme while states' share is 25%. In case of north-east region and Jammu and Kashmir, the Centre's share in the premium contribution goes up to 90% and the state has to provide a mere 10% of the total premium.  The beneficiary family has to pay only Rs 30 per annum per family as registration and renewal fee. Administrative cost is borne by state governments.