The State Government has decided to formally launch its flagship programme, a health insurance scheme for farmers under the Biju Krushak Kalyan Yojana, on November 12 at Pallahada in Angul district even as the election process for the 22 urban local bodies in nearby nine western Odisha districts is now underway .
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik would inaugurate the scheme at a function by giving the smart card to farmers, said Agriculture Minister Debi Prasad Mishra.
Stating that the rollout of the scheme would not attract the Model Code of Conduct, Mishra said the Government has already taken the prior approval of the State Election Commission for it.
The scheme would benefit an estimated 60 lakh identified farmers’ families by 2016-17, he said. The National and Reliance insurance companies would take up the insurance coverage of the farmers of Central Zone. The Government recently signed pacts with four Insurance companies to undertake farmers’ insurance.
Each farmer’s family would have to pay a minimum premium per annum at the rate of `30 for a health insurance cover of `1 lakh each. The benefit would be available to five members of the family. the head of the household, his spouse and three dependents. The scheme would benefit all medium, small and marginal farmers, Mishra said.
He further said all farm workers’ families engaged in agriculture activities would be treated as farmers and would be covered under the scheme. Even, the farmers covered under the Rastriya Swasthya Bima Yojana can take the benefit of this State scheme. Free treatment along with operation for 500 critical diseases with expenditure up to `70,000 is allowed. The beneficiaries would be provided with a smart card for availing the treatment facilities in the listed hospitals.