Himachal CM praises Modi for social security schemes

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Saturday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for launching three ambitious social security schemes, relating to the insurance and pension sector and intended at widening the process of financial inclusion.

The schemes would be effective for achieving target of financial inclusion, he said while simultaneously launching the schemes here.

Union Health Minister J.P Nadda, who belongs to the hill state, was also present on the occasion.

Praising the Jan Dhan Yojna launched by the central government last year, the chief minister said effective measures have been adopted for financial inclusion with its implementation.

He said about 8.50 lakh new bank accounts were opened in the state.

The chief minister said earlier there were no banks in rural areas and maximum financial institutions or banks were being run by the industrial houses.

"It was due to the efforts of the late prime minister Indira Gandhi that banks were nationalised and today we all are fortunate enough for having banking facilities in the rural areas of the country too," he said.

Virbhadra Singh said with the launching these three schemes besides insurance to the workers in unorganised sectors pension would also be provided to them.

Nadda said it was for the first time that an accidental death insurance of Rs.200,000 would be provided on a premium of Re.1 per month.

As per data, the financial inclusion figure is 8.64 crore people in rural areas and 5.84 crores in urban areas.