TN sanctions Rs 200cr for public health cover

The Tamil Nadu government has allocated Rs 200 crore as premium for the proposed health insurance scheme, which would cover people living below poverty line (BPL). The government has also allocated Rs 40 crore for crop insurance in its Budget for 2009-10.

The proposed programme, to be named as the Chief Minister Kalaignar’s Insurance Scheme for Life Saving Treatments, is likely to be launched in June 2009. 

The scheme will enable around 10 million BPL population to receive free specialist treatment up to Rs 1 lakh for 51 life threatening diseases, state finance minister K Anbazhagan said. 

The government, which will pay the premium, has invited tenders from insurance companies to implement the scheme. Families belonging to the members of the Agricultural Labour Welfare Board, Unorganised Labourers Welfare Board, Fishermen Welfare Board and other welfare boards and families having an annual income of less than Rs 24,000 will also be benefited under the scheme, he added.

Meanwhile, to boost the crop insurance scheme in the state, the government is planning to extend subsidy on the insurance premium. Currently, it is providing 50 per cent of the insurance premium to the farmers from the year 2006-2007 to protect them from crop loss due to natural calamities. The number of farmers availing of crop insurance has increased to around 850,000 in the last three years, from the earlier 100,000. 

To cover more farmers under the scheme, the state government has sanctioned Rs 40 crore as subsidy. In addition, Rs 200 crore has been provided as the state’s share in this budget for providing compensation for crop loss.