HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME FOR THE POOR THIS YEAR

Chennai: The government will launch an insurance scheme for the poor and low- income groups to get the best medical treatment in government and private hospitals, Governor Surjit Singh Barnala said on Wednesday. It would benefit about one crore families. The insurance cover would be up to Rs.1 lakh.

In his address to the Assembly, Mr. Barnala said the government was aware that it was not possible for the poor to pay the cost of treatment in private hospitals, especially for cancer, heart diseases, kidney failure, brain and spinal problems and life-threatening accidents.

“Considering these facts, a new scheme, the Chief Minister’s Insurance Scheme for Life Saving Treatments, will be launched this year.” It would enable the poor to get treatment in government as well as private hospitals for serious ailments. “Each family will be insured for availing itself of free treatment up to Rs.1 lakh. The government will bear the entire premium.”

The State government would further increase the minimum support price for sugar cane. “On the basis of requests, the government has decided to raise it to Rs.1,100 a tonne. In addition, by bearing Rs.90 towards transport charges and providing, on an average, Rs.30 as recovery-based incentive,” the per tonne realisation for farmers would be Rs.1,220.

Mr. Barnala said that after the damage caused by the rain, the government had given farmers Rs.388 crore in relief. The relief distributed to the affected, spread across 12 districts, amounted to Rs.1,027 crore. He urged the Centre to provide, at the earliest, the financial assistance the State government needed to fully restore the affected areas and disburse adequate relief.

On the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils, he said the government had urged the Centre “to take, without delay, appropriate alternative measures like dialogue so as to establish peace, and thus protect the Sri Lankan Tamils who are suffering.”

The government welcomed the law enacted to create a National Investigation Agency, but said it should “operate without interfering with the powers of State governments or affecting individual liberty.” Speaker R. Avudaiappan read out the Tamil version of the Governor’s address.

Source: The Hindu