Not willing to come in the lines of fire for performing dismally on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet social security schemes front, the State Government has decided to bear premium for Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) on behalf of BPl people.
The scheme launched with much fanfare along with two others all over the country has failed to generate ample awareness in attracting sufficient beneficiaries in Jharkhand.
The Government’s decision to intervene came on the proposal of the Rural Development Department following the poor response it received throughout the State. “The social security scheme along with Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and pension scheme Atal Pension Yojana (APY) have not come up to our expectations. The Department has moved a proposal to deposit the premium for PMSBY for the BPl persons and as per the latest information the Government has approved it,” said a top official of State level Bankers Committee (SlBC) on Wednesday.
Facts indicate that by September 17, total 1116951 beneficiaries have been covered under the PMSBY for which premium amount is only Rs12 for a year. Numbers under PMJJBY and APY are even poorer and just 302008 and 7877 persons have been enrolled, respectively in Jharkhand.
This is when the bankers in association with the State Government agencies and lIC have in the month of August organised awareness camps at town halls of different places. Moreover, about 1 lakh new members came into the fold through the special camps but overall figure for the State remained discouraging.
This apart, the Centre on August 1, has also rolled out incentives for three schemes in the form of ‘gift cheques’. For PMBSY, the beneficiary would deposit Rs201 which would be used for two years’ premiums of Rs 12 and the rest Rs177 would be fixed. All the following premiums would be given by interest earned on the FD. Similarly for PMJJBY, Rs5001 would be deposited for two premiums of 684 and earn interest for the rest premiums.
“The schemes are being closely monitored at the PMO level and we needed to pull up our shocks. Attention is also on Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna, the financial inclusion scheme. Accounts have been opened under the scheme but those are not operational. Each Banking Correspondent would be given a target to conduct at least 50 transactions per day,” said the official on the sidelines of 52nd SlBC meeting.
Under the PMJDY, total 4009833 basic saving bank accounts have been opened. 2406461 of that are in rural areas while 1603372 in urban areas. However, meager 2402060 PMJDY accounts have been seeded with Aadhar numbers, a great hindrance in ensuring leak proof transfer of monetary benefits.