Governor Syed Ahmed and Chief Minister Raghubar Das today launched the NDA's flagship schemes - Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojna, Prime Minister Jiwan Jyoti Yojna and Atal Pension Yojna - for the people with no social security cover and to give impetus to the financial inclusion activities in Jharkhand through the schemes. The launch was part of the nationwide beginning of the schemes by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Kolkata.
The schemes will provide life and accident insurance cover (effective from June 1) to a policyholder besides, helping an otherwise vulnerable section of the society in the latter half of their life by ensuring a continuous flow of money at regular intervals. Almost all banking institutions will be offering the insurance and pension schemes through their branches. Union labour and Employment Minister, Narendra Singh Tomar was also a witness to the launch in Jharkhand.
Referring to the downtrodden, Governor Syed Ahmed said, "Jharkhand has a large population of unorganized labour force who wander each day to search for job and families become homeless when a labour dies. This scheme was needed for Jharkhand and it will help those who work day and night for us but didn't have social security".
The schemes got overwhelming response as all banks collectively received around 14.30 lakh applications for all three comprehensive social security schemes launched by the NDA Government. Nonetheless, the CM made an appeal to the banks to walk the extra mile and bring 1.5-crore people of the State's population under the benign schemes. The schemes have been specially designed to make it compatible with saving bank accounts and premiums can only be paid through auto-debit facility.
"I would appeal to the banks to ensure that the schemes reach the people and it is our moral duty that the schemes reach all people. Go to the villages, set up camps so that women suffering and children facing hardship should get benefit of these schemes," said Das.
The 'Prime Minister Suraksha Bima Yojna' will cover persons in 18-70 year age group and would provide accidental insurance of Rs 2 lakh besides providing cover to a beneficiary against disability due to accident. The 'Prime Minister Jiwan Jyoti Bima Yojna'- a life insurance scheme for people in the age bracket of 18-50 years - will offer life coverage of Rs 2 lakh against the payment of annual premium of Rs 330. Moreover, the PM Jiwan Jyoti scheme would cover all kinds of deaths - natural, unnatural - and even suicides by policyholders. Third among the financial inclusion schemes - 'Atal Pension Yojna' - assures pension anywhere from Rs 1000 to Rs 5000 per month after a beneficiary attains 60 years of age. The pension amount would be derived from the contribution made by a policyholder.
Notably, the Government would share half of the contribution in the pension scheme opened between June 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015 for five years, i.e. 2019-20.
However, the Government's contribution would not come if an applicant is already a member of any other social security scheme like EPFO and other Provident Fund plans. Also, those enrolled for Swavalamban scheme, introduced earlier, would be given a choice to switch to the Atal Pension Scheme.
"We are a nation of large population with a lot of problems. Our first goal is to solve those problems and second goal is to march on the path of development by solving those problems. The Union Government is moving swiftly in the direction of meeting the two goals," said Tomar.
Meanwhile, the three schemes were launched simultaneously at 10 places across Jharkhand. DWSD Minister Chandra Prakash Chaudhary launched the scheme at Hazaribagh, Minister Rural Development, Neelkanth Singh Munda rolled out the schemes at Dhanbad, Minister Health, Ramchandra Chandravansi launched the schemes in Gumla, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Sudarshan Bhagat alongwith Minister HRD, Neera Yadav launched the schemes at Dumka, Minister Food & Civil Supplies, Saryu Roy rolled out the scheme in Deoghar, Minister labour Employment and Training, Raj Paliwar introduced these schemes at Jamshedpur, Minister Agriculture, Randheer Singh inaugurated the schemes at Bokaro and Development Commissioner R S Poddar launched the schemes in Daltonganj.