Tardy implementation makes RSBY yet another failed scheme in district

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 29

Six years after the implementation of the Centre-run Rashtriya Swasth Beema Yojna(RSBY), the number of beneficiaries of the scheme hasn’t increased, even though another census has substantially increased the number of below poverty line (BPL) people in the district.

When the scheme was started in 2009, the total beneficiaries (as per the 2001 census) were 18,583. While the number of BPL residents of the district has steadily risen since then, surprisingly, the number of beneficiaries has been halved. From the original 18,583, the number has now come down to 9,885. Reason: Deaths and migrations.

However, despite revision in the lists of “atta daal” scheme beneficiaries by the administration, the number of RSBY beneficiaries, stays put.

In the year 2011, as many as 8,870 beneficiaries were enrolled for the Rashtriya Swasth Bima Yojna. In 2012, 9,285 beneficiaries were registered under the scheme. While the number increased to 9,885 in the year 2013, no new enrolments have been made in the years 2014 and 2015 so far.

As many as 444 of these 98,885 have already been receiving treatment and have been hospistalised at the Civil Hospital. An amount of Rs 20,10,0800 has been spent of them.

Deputy Medical Commissioner, a nodal officer for the RSB Yojna, Harpal Kaur, while speaking to The Tribune, said, “While there was a proposal by the Deputy Commissioner at a meeting some days ago that that all poor residents like rag-pickers, labourers etc. shall be brought under the list of BPL beneficiaries under the health scheme, the process hasn’t started yet. We have been told by the district administration that the beneficiaries of the RSBY shall currently be according to the 2001 figures only. But the process of upgrading data will start soon.”

“The reduced figures (of 9,885 out of former 18,583) are due to the demise and migration of many of the beneficiaries,” she added.

Sources said the number of beneficiaries of those entitled to the RSBY smart card in the district had already crossed the 80,000 mark, but due to the lack of enlisting of new beneficiaries under the RSBY, many are losing out on the benfits. The date of renewal of the smart cards was originally April 30 (tomorrow), but was postponed by two months, so now it will be June 30, 2015.

As per an MC survey in 2006, the number of BPL families in the city is 60,617 and those in the rural and semi-urban areas of the district are 10,716 (making a total of). Even the 2006 survey places the total BPL families in the district 71,333 BPL and, now, seven years later, the health stats haven’t even reached one-third of that mark.

Flashback

Started three years ago in 2009, the ambitious RSBY is termed a failure due to the lack of implementation of many other ambitious schemes. The scheme, as per which a smart card is made for a five-member BPL family, ensures the funding of the medical expenses (worth Rs 30,000) of the said family for a year. Once Rs 30,000 lapses, the family can’t ask for anymore free treatment that year under the scheme.

Awareness about the scheme is very low both in urban and rural areas and proper facilities are not provided to even those enrolled on many occasions.

At various health camps, there have been reports of beneficiaries facing trouble due to glitches and not matching of fingerprints with the health database.