Orissa plans to insure all WSHGs

In a move that is likely to benefit about 45 lakh members of the women self help groups (WSHGs), the Orissa government plans to provide insurance coverage to all 3,61,000 WSHGs in the state. It has already invited expression of interest (EoI) from the insurance companies for the purpose.

Eleven insurance companies like the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), Oriental Insurance Company, ICICI Prudential, Birla Sunlife, Royal Sunderam and National Insurance Company (NIC) have expressed interest to implement the scheme.

“We had invited EoI for the scheme and 11 insurance companies have evinced interest. The name of the insurance company will be finalised in next 3 to 4 days after which we will move to seek the approval of the government”, Usha Padhi, director, social welfare, Orissa government told Business Standard.

The state women and the child development department is working on different packages for delivering the service to the intended beneficiaries and is in discussion with other departments like panchayatiraj, finance, health, tribal developlemt, labour and employment to make the scheme effective.

Though the scheme is proposed to be implemented by the WSHG Federations working at the block level, the government is making efforts to ensure that the selected insurance company is able to deliver the service to the satisfaction of the members of the WSHGs.

“The claim settlement system is important for the members of WSHGs. So we are insisting on evolving the delivery mechanism like setting up of call centres in every district to make the scheme effective”, Padhi added. The proposed scheme is likely to cover health, education, compensation for accident and death benefits among others.

Sources said, the government intends to avoid duplication of the insurance schemes implemented by other departments. So if the labour and employment department covers the WSHGs under Rastriya Swastha Vima Yojana, the proposed scheme will provide other covers like education insurance for the children of the members.