Govt rolls out health plan

Tribune News Service

Mohali, August 20

To benefit nearly 46 lakh families across the state, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh launched the Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana at a function here today.

While launching the scheme, the CM said it was a tribute to late former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 75th birth anniversary. He handed over e-cards to first 11 beneficiaries.

“Under the scheme, nearly 46 lakh families would avail the benefit of annual cashless treatment up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year. It is being aimed at ensuring the best possible free treatment to the beneficiaries in good hospitals,” said Amarinder, adding that the scheme would cover 76 per cent of the state’s population.

With the scheme, the state has become the first state in the country to offer medical cover to the maximum number of its population. Other states offer cover up to only 30 per cent of their population under similar schemes, he claimed.

Giving details, Amarinder said the scheme would cover a total of 20.43 lakh smart ration card-holder families, 14.86 lakh families enrolled as per the socio-economic caste census, 2.8 lakh small farmers, 2.38 lakh construction workers and 46,000 small traders. The scheme has also been extended to around 4,500 journalists accredited to the state or holding the yellow cards.

Notably, the Punjab Government had recently decided to extend the Centre’s Prime Minister Jan Arogya Yojana of cashless health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year to more than 31 lakh families.

The CM added that equipped with specially-designed 1,396 treatment packages, the scheme would be implemented through more than 450 empaneled hospitals, including 200 government hospitals.