Excelsior Correspondent
Rajouri, Nov 1 : Minister of State for Health, Shabir Ahmad Khan has said that maximum poor people would be covered under health insurance in the State, adding that the Government has decided to extend Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) to 10 more districts – 5 each in Kashmir and Jammu.
Addressing a public gathering today at border village Sawani, the Health Minister said that RSBY, a National Health Insurance Programme for the people living Below Poverty Line, was earlier implemented under Pilot Project only in two districts: Jammu and Srinagar. ”It was decided to extend it to 10 more districts”, he said and added that the scheme would later be extended to other districts of the state in a phased manner.
The Minister said that new districts to come under RSBY includes Udhampur, Rajouri, Reasi, Samba and Kathua in Jammu region and Kulgam, Budgam, Anantnag, Pulwama and Ganderbal in Kashmir region. He said that under the scheme, every BPL family has to pay Rs 30 as registration fee to get health insurance cover up to Rs 30,000. The objective of RSBY is to provide protection to BPL households from financial liabilities arising out of health shocks that involve hospitalization. Beneficiaries under RSBY are entitled to hospitalization coverage up to Rs 30,000 for most of the diseases that require hospitalization.
Responding to the demands of the locals, the Minister said that concerted attention is being paid to improve basic amenities in the area. He said work on 3kms Kallar- Sawani road has been completed at a cost of Rs 71 lakh, adding that tenders for its black topping have been floated and this work of the road would be completed at a cost of Rs 82 lakh. He said that construction work on WSS Sawani has been taken up and after its completion the scheme would benefit 5000 souls of the area.
Meanwhile, the Health Minister also inaugurated free AYUSH aid cum awareness camp at Rajouri. He also inaugurated AYUSH unit Punch karma/ Regimental therapy center in District Hospital Rajouri.
Director ISM, Dr. Ab. Kibir on the occasion highlighted the functioning of ISM Depa-rtment.
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