Govt to cover all districts under RSBY health insurance scheme: Minister
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.
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.
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.
KV Correspondent
