Farmers get health insurance cover

Patiala, March 11

Minister for Higher Education Surjit Singh Rakhra launched Bhagat Puran Singh Health Insurance Scheme for farmers during a ceremony organised at Bhawalpur Palace here today.

Speaking on the occasion, Rakhra said the SAD-BJP Government had stood by its commitments, to raise the status of economically weaker and other sections of society. He said with the launch of the health insurance scheme, Punjab became one of the few states to have effectively implemented pro-people schemes.

The Cabinet Minister said the government had given a big relief to BPL families in the state. The scheme will provide health insurance cover of Rs 50,000 per annum per family besides Rs 5-lakh cover against accidental death and complete disability of the head of the family. The scheme will benefit 28.90 lakh blue card-holder families of Punjab, 11 lakh marginal J-form-holder farmers, 2.33 lakh small traders and 2.32 lakh construction workers. An additional assistance of Rs 5 lakh against damages due to fire on the business premises would also be given by the government.  The minister said the state had earmarked Rs 116 crore for the purpose. 

To cater to the needs of the Punjab government employees and pensioners, a cashless health insurance scheme has already been initiated from January this year. An amount of Rs 56 crore had been earmarked for the scheme. Apart from this, around Rs 36 crore had been provided for implementing public-sensitive emergency response medical services. — TNS