Union Cabinet approves extension of RSBY to other occupational groups

The Union Cabinet today approved the extension of the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) to rickshaw pullers, rag pickers, mine workers, sanitation workers and auto rickshaw drivers and taxi drivers.

The total number of unorganized workers estimated to be covered in these categories will be as under: rickshaw drivers/pullers-13.68 lakh, rag pickers-11.63 lakh, mine workers- 17.79 lakh, sanitation workers-10.08 lakh and auto rickshaw drivers/taxi drivers-35.39 lakh.

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The total financial implications for extension of RSBY to rickshaw pullers, rag pickers, mine workers, sanitation workers and auto rickshaw drivers and taxi drivers, would be around Rs.210 crore approximately for the year 2013-14 and Rs.419.89 crore from the year 2014-15 onwards. The exact amount will be determined on the basis of persons identified and registered under these categories during each preceding year and actual premium rates.

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The projected benefit would facilitate health insurance cover to rickshaw pullers, rag pickers, mine workers, sanitation workers and auto rickshaw drivers and taxi drivers.

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RSBY is being implemented in 28 States/Union Territories and more than 3.44 crore smart cards have been issued as on 31st March, 2013. The target for the year 2013-14 is to cover 3.60 crore Below Poverty Line (BPL) families.

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The Ministry of Labour and Employment is implementing the health insurance scheme, RSBY, which provides for smart card based cashless health insurance cover of Rs.30, 000 per annum to BPL families (a unit of five persons) in the unorganized sector. The scheme became operational with effect from April 1, 2008.

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During the course of implementation, RSBY has been extended to street vendors, beedi workers, domestic workers, building and other construction workers, and MGNREGA workers, who have worked more than 15 days during the previous year.