Monitoring committee for RSBY implementation to be formed - Yogish Bhat

Monitoring committee for RSBY implementation to be formed - Yogish Bhat

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, August 7: N. Yogish Bhat, the deputy speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, said that a committee will be formed to monitor the implementation of the Rashtriya Swasthya Bhima Yojana (RSBY), a health insurance scheme for unorganized BJP labourers, in a bid to prevent the misuse of benefits under it. 

Mr. Bhat was speaking at the Field Key Officers workshop on implementation of the RSBY scheme jointly organized by the DK district administration, the labour department, and the Iffco General Insurance Company Limited at Roshni Nilaya on Saturday. He also said that he had requested the state government to increase the insurance premium to Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 2 lakh. 

Stating that the state’s government hospitals should be upgraded for the successful implementation of the scheme, he said that an informal discussion will be held to extend the scheme to middle class families too.  

Delivering the introductory remarks, Venkatesh Appayya Shindihatti, the assistant labour commissioner, said that RSBY is an ambitious scheme that is being implemented jointly by the central and state governments to ensure health care for unorganized workers, who form around 93 percent of the total workforce of the country. This cashless health care facility enables the beneficiaries and 3 dependents to get treatment worth Rs. 30,000 per annum. Smart cards will be issued to beneficiaries. 

Although the scheme was initially designed for unorganized workers, it has been extended to all BPL families in rural areas, including street vendors, beedi workers, and domestic workers.

Seventy-five percent of the total premium amount will be borne by the central government and the other 25 percent will be borne by the state government. 

Mr. Bhat said that Gram Panchayat secretaries and village accountants have been appointed as the field key officers to ensure that the scheme is being effectively implemented. 

DC Dr. N. S. Channappa Gowda presided over the function and urged the officials to work for the successful implementation of the scheme, including as many families as they could so that the best healthcare facilities will reach the poor by Nov 2011. 

ZP CEO Dr. K. N. Vijayaprakash, Assistant Commissioner Prabhulinga Kavalikatti, Joint Commissioner of Labour Department J. D. Jingalappa, Dr. Sangameshwar, the district surgeon, and many others were also present.