Mysore third in health cover scheme

Around 220,000 farmers may be brought under the State’s ‘Yeshasvini’ health coverage during 2012-13.

Of these, Mysore taluk will have 35,000 farmers covered, the highest. The target set for Nanjangud, T Narasipur, Hunsur, K R Nagar, and Periyapatna taluk is 32,000 farmers in each taluk, while 22,000 farmers will be brought under the co-operative healthcare scheme in H D Kote taluk.

Rural-based cine actors, stage actors, and folk artistes can also become members under the scheme if they are members of cultural development co-operative societies. Plantation workers working in coffee plantations will also be eligible for cover. They should be members of rural co-operative societies.

Similarly, members elected from the agricultural sector to the Stage Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees can also become members provided they are members of the rural co-operative societies.

Another section of employees who will be eligible for the Yeshasvini scheme are journalists based in rural areas having membership with State Journalists’ Credit Co-operative Society. Urban journalists, however, are not eligible for the scheme.

Nomads and semi-nomads in rural areas in the state can also enroll as members if they are members of co-operative societies. Also, rural self-help group and Sthree Shakti group members are eligible for membership.

For the first time, the state government has brought transgenders also under the scheme, said Mysore-Chamarajanagar Co-operative Central Bank President C Basave Gowda presiding over the district implementation committee meeting on Yeshasvini scheme.

Enrollment for the year began on February 15 and will conclude on May 31 before which those willing to become members should enroll as members by paying a membership fee of ¤Rs 210.

Last year, Basave Gowda said, Mysore district stood second at the divisional-level and third at the State-level in membership enrolment and efforts will be towards achieving first place this year, Gowda added.

Hospitals which provide medical facilities under the scheme include Cauvery, JSS, Ramakrishna, Kamala Raman, Pragathi Mission, Karuna, Bharath Cancer and Mahaveer Darshan hospitals. Vivekananda Hospital of Mysore and Saragur are also in the hospital network list. After inspection, District Surgeon and District Health & Family Officer has recommended Amrit Krupa Hospital, Roopanagar, Mysore, be brought under the network of hospitals in the district.

Basave Gowda suggested to the hospital heads to hold rural health check-up camps in each taluk before May.

Yeshasvini is a unique co-operative health care scheme launched for the first time in the country and is meant for farmers who are members of co-operative societies. Its aim is to ensure good health for farmer co-operators of Karnataka. Members can avail of free surgery costing upto Rs 1 lakh and Rs 2 lakh for multiple surgeries in one year.

During 2010-11, Over 3.04 million members were enrolled under Yeshavini and Rs 41.68 lakh was generated as membership fee. The state released Rs 30 lakh. In all, 198,706 surgeries were performed and Rs 45.46 lakh was spent on the surgeries. For 2011-12, the budget provision was Rs 36 lakh.