The RSS-affiliated Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) has asked the Modi-Government to use its freshly launched health protection scheme for poor as Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to help domestic companies and cautioned the Government against engaging foreign Multinational companies for providing health cover.
Welcoming Government’s budgetary announcement the health protection scheme that will reach out to 50 crore people by offering up to Rs 5 lakh cover for illnesses, the SJM Covenor said it should not be for the benefit of Multinational Companies.
“ SJM would like to caution the Government that while implementing this scheme, foreign insurance companies should not be engaged so that valuable resources of the country are retained in India only,” he said in a statement.
He said Government should use the health insurance as a SPV so that domestic companies should benefit rather than the MNCs.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced the world’s largest Government-funded health care programme in his budget speech yesterday. The programme is aimed at benefiting 10 crore poor families by providing coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.
lauding the budget for its focus on the rural economy, employment and welfare of poor, the SJM said it has long been demanding minimum support price (MSP) at not less than cost plus 50 per cent to make agricultural activities remunerative for farmers.
The Government’s intent to offer this to farmers is a welcome step, Mahajan said.
He also appreciated the encouragement given to the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector in the Budget.